


Guardian

by chinarai



Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, lightis, nokurai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2018-04-27 20:18:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5062645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chinarai/pseuds/chinarai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They are chosen by the goddess Etro herself to protect the heir of their throne; a warrior that can easily shatter his cool façade and make him forget that he is supposed to act like a prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Guardian

**Author's Note:**

> Quickly posting the first two chapters of this fanfic that was previously only available on ff.net and my tumblr! I apologize for any mistakes and typos!

* * *

**Guardian**

* * *

 

He shut his eyes tight briefly, shaking his head to clear his mind. The prince was worn out, tired from fighting countless intruders in such a short span of time. His father was nowhere to be found at the moment, probably inside their castle fending off the enemies there, and his friends were just too far to help him now. Besides, he wanted to end this alone, though he knew his chances of surviving were slim.

The captain of the enemy guard lied a few yards away from him, already trying to stand up after their previous collision, which caused both men to fly backwards and hit the hard ground with a painful, loud crash. Both were badly bruised, clothes tainted in blood, skin and hair dirty. Noctis spit blood and glared at the small pool of his own blood forming before his eyes – he really needed to train more, he needed to control his powers properly.

Just as he was about to grab his weapon, a white feather gently landed on the crimson pool, drenching instantly in it. The glare left his face, being replaced by a frown as he noticed more feathers slowly floating in the air. He looked around, blue eyes scanning the area around him just to find that the feathers were fluttering about the whole arena and that nobody else seemed to notice them. And then a bright light shone where the captain was standing, and Noctis turned his head in his direction at the same time the sound of a blade slicing through flesh reverberated in his ears.

His eyes widened slightly at the sight before him. His enemy coughed up blood, the liquid trailing down his chin and gushing out from his stomach where a blade was deeply buried. The owner of the blade, for what he could see through his slight blurry vision, was dressed in a silver armor detailed in gold, and white feathers cascaded down the side of the person’s left leg, resembling some sort of cape. What caught his attention, though, was the long, pale pink hair that that flowed freely when the person hastily pulled back their sword and let the corpse fall to the ground.

So it appeared to be a young woman who wasn’t afraid to make eye contact.

Noctis slowly rose to his feet and walked in her direction before an explosion got both of their attentions, making both prince and stranger turn their heads towards the sound. The dark haired man then turned his head back towards the woman just to find out that she was gone. He frowned slightly; even the feathers had disappeared.

**::**

**::**

“Prince Noctis, you’ve been spacing out quite a lot recently.” Said prince snapped his head up and away from his fist, only to frown at his friend and his incessant formalities. “Did you hear anything that I just said?” Noctis sat properly on his throne and tapped his fingertips on his thighs. He didn’t need to answer his friend’s question; Ignis knew more than anyone else that he wasn’t paying attention.

It had been two months since the war was over, two months since he saw the stranger. He was curious; she was mysterious, she disappeared as suddenly as she came, she killed the man that would kill him if he made any wrong move. And what was more surprising was the fact that no one else saw her, or the bright light, or the white feathers that fell from the clouds before and during her appearance.

His friends doubted him when he told them about the girl – Prompto even suggested that Noctis might have bumped his head somewhere and that he was seeing things. His first argument was that it was completely impossible for someone from his kingdom to have pink hair – the majority of people had dark colored hair, and few people stood out with blond colored locks. Prompto joked, asking the dark haired prince if he heard a choir singing in the background, and he even suggested that the prince should seek a doctor and get his head examined, which earned him a glare and slap on the back of his head.

“I heard everything.” He lied anyway, closing his eyes and sighing. He was just confused about it all; if he was the only one who saw her, then was he really going crazy? Noctis didn’t think so. “Excuse me, there’s something I need to do.” Standing up from his throne, the prince calmly made his way to the double doors and silently closed them behind his back.

Walking through the well adorned corridors of his castle, it took him some minutes to reach the library despite the fast pace of his feet. Inside, he was content to see that the books he had left on the table on the previous night were untouched, meaning that he wouldn’t need to waste his time trying to find them again. Sitting on a cushioned chair by the windows, the young man scanned the pages searching for something, anything that would confirm the existence of his mysterious savior. He had been searching for three days now and so far he hadn’t found anything helpful.

Time passed and Noctis was almost dozing off with his cheek perched up on his fist when the chair beside his moved, and he opened his eyes to see his father studying the books sprawled on the table. “You’ve been here for four hours now.” The king commented before he took a seat beside his son. “What is it that you’re trying to find?”

In his mind, Noctis wondered if it would be wise to tell his father about what he saw back at that day two months ago on the battlefield; he wondered if he would think of it as something fascinating, or if he would brush it off and say he was just seeing things, or even imply that he was indeed going crazy. But the young prince guessed that he could give it a try. His father was older, wiser; he would know what to say. Besides, he was too desperate to confirm her existence.

“Did you, by any chance,” he took a deep breath and avoided his father’s gaze, “see anything weird during the last battle?”

His father leaned back on his chair, keeping his eyes focused on his son although he flipped through the pages of a book. “Like what exactly?”

Running a hand through his spiky, dark hair, Noctis fixed his gaze on the wall across from him. “Like white feathers falling from the sky as if they were snowflakes.”

The king snapped the book in his hands shut with a loud snap, causing his son to straighten his back. Their eyes met and he could _feel_ that his only son was uncomfortable talking about the subject. “I did.” Noctis’ eyes widened, a renewed sparkle shining in the depths of his dark blue irises; there still was hope. “I was wondering if you saw that too.”

Noctis clearly tried to hide his excitement by leaning back on his seat and trying to keep his face as void of emotion as possible, although it did little to hide the delighted shine in his eyes. “Do you know what that was?”

“You won’t find it in any books, son.” His father replied as he placed the book on top of the pile. “Nobody believes in their existence. And only the Caelum can see them.”

“So there’s more than one?”

The elder man shook his head negatively and cleared his throat. “No, there’s only one at a time. They are chosen by the goddess Etro herself to protect the heir of our throne. They follow your steps like a shadow and only make appearances when extremely necessary.” His son stopped acting cool and seemed to be too interested in this; he was even leaning forward now. “They are called Guardians. But don’t think of them as some type of guardian angel, they aren’t that. Guardians are more like warriors than anything else.”

“Did you see your Guardian, father, when you were younger?”

“No, I didn’t. My father did, though.” The king averted his gaze, fixing it on a painting on the wall. “He said he was dressed in a silver armor and that white feathers swept from his shoulders like a cape.”

Noctis nodded in agreement and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “She was dressed like that, except for the feathers were beside her left leg.”

“So it’s a girl. Those are a rare sight.” His father smirked slightly. “She saved your life. If she hadn’t appeared, you wouldn’t be here now.”

“She’s real.” The prince whispered, smiling stupidly to himself, heart quickening its pace. “She really is real.”

His father stood from his seat with a chuckle and patted his son on the shoulder; it had been quite a long time since he last saw his son that excited about something. “Whenever you see white feathers, she’s around.”

**::**

**::**

Days passed and Noctis hadn’t seen a trace of the Guardian. Sometimes, he would see a feather here and there, but the woman was nowhere in sight. He guessed that she would be able to sense real danger, so asking one of his guards to feign killing him was out of question – and besides that, he didn’t want to appear even crazier before his friends. But he was growing tired, restless even, because he felt like his brain was playing tricks on him. What if the conversation he shared with his father in the library was just a dream? After all, he was almost dozing off before his father arrived.

And now, Noctis felt a little embarrassed for what he did on the previous night. He left his chambers in the middle of the night and headed to the castle training grounds, the place where he had seen more feathers laying about so far. At that time, when he placed the invitation in the middle of the arena, the room was sparkling clean, and in the morning after, few traces of white lingered in the corners, some disappearing before his eyes, the invitation long gone. The prince knew there was the possibility that someone else found it, but he couldn’t help but hope that his warrior found it – and hopefully, accepted it.

Look at what a single mysterious woman was doing to him. He clearly wasn’t himself anymore.

The celebration wasn’t too boring, nor was it too exciting. Wealthy people were dressed in formal attire, chatting in small groups and few dared to dance. Noctis on his part continuously tugged at the collar of his shirt and groaned under his breath whenever he could; he didn’t like wearing suits, he didn’t like big, formal parties. The young prince was mingling around with his father, due to being the son of the host and one of the most important men in the world, until he was formally dismissed and left to find his friends among all the guests. He found the other three young men and only managed reached them seconds after the only blond in the group skipped away.

“Where is he going?” Noctis asked his other two friends as he kept his eyes focused on the retreating man’s back.

“Prompto is going to ask that girl over there if her hair color is natural or not.” Gladiolus replied with a slight shake of his head.

That was when Noctis spotted the girl for the first time that night. He didn’t remember seeing her around when he and his father welcomed the guests and it was difficult not to see her there. How did he miss her? Her white cocktail dress stood out among dark and sober colors, and the shine of her exotic pale pink hair made his heartbeat quicken. The young prince found it hard to breathe, even to stand straight without visibly shaking – his warrior came, she accepted his invitation!

He watched from afar as the young woman and his friend interacted. She touched the ends of her hair when he bluntly asked her about it, and nodded her head to confirm his theory. Prompto then said something else, to which she replied with a polite smile as she gave him her empty flute of wine. The blond man hurriedly walked back to the small group, whispered a quick “it’s natural” before he walked away to fetch another drink for her.

Noctis’ heart pounded in his rib cage and he later found himself walking towards the girl, not really caring if he seemed as desperate as he felt inside. Just like the first time, he was close to her, and just like last time, he didn’t reach her.

“Noctis!”

Said man stiffened and took a step back so he could look at the blonde girl that oh so suddenly decided to block his path. “Stella.” He greeted back with a quick and shallow nod of his head, voice slightly urgent. Shifting his gaze between  the talking blonde and his most special guest that now thanked Prompto for getting her another drink, Noctis couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous – he invited her, he was the one who was dying to meet her, not Prompto. Why did he have to be the one who talked to her first?

It didn’t take too long until the mysterious woman walked through the doors that led to the garden; the prince’s frustration was so obvious that the young blonde woman stopped talking to ask him if he was feeling well. Noctis opened his mouth to reply when a sudden gust of wind blew through the open doors and windows, ruining elegant up-dos and perfectly ironed clothes, carrying inside a ton of white feathers that went unnoticed by everyone except two people in the ballroom.

Noctis found his father’s gaze and he nodded once – it was confirmed, she really was his Guardian.  

**::**

**::**

“So if the both of you are here...” Prompto started as he shifted his gaze between his good friend and the young woman who kept a respectful distance from him, although she was _dying_ to latch onto his arm – everyone could see it.

Stella met Prompto’s confused eyes and frowned. “What about us?”

Ignis took a stepped forward and bowed slightly so he could look at the young prince in the eyes. “There’s someone in the music room playing the piano, Prince Noctis.” Raising an eyebrow, he added, “It is only _natural_ that the crown prince check it out... By himself.”

Noctis’ eyes widened in the slightest before returning to their usual shape. Standing from his seat, he excused himself and left the ballroom quite in a hurry, fingers working on the tie around his neck. By the time he reached the end of the hallway and turned left, the black accessory had already slipped from his shoulders and fallen to the carpeted floor, lying forgotten as its owner picked up his pace. Going from a fast walk to a jog, the dark haired man cursed the length of the countless hallways of his castle that never once before bothered him – until now.

 His friends knew that the only three people who knew how to play the piano were his father, Stella and himself, and if the three of them were attending to the party, it meant someone else had sneaked away from the ballroom and successfully found their way to the music room without being seen by any guards. And the only person that could do that, in his opinion, was his guardian that seemed to warp anywhere she wanted, whenever she pleased.

Stopping before double oak doors, carved so elegantly, the young prince listened to the melody for about a minute while he regained his breath and tried to relax his muscles and mind. Knowing that he would never ease the tension in his shoulders and back completely, Noctis took a deep breath before he turned the knob and opened the door, striding inside with his head held high. Once the door was closed, he expected the mysterious woman to stop playing and turn around, but she didn’t; instead, she picked up her pace, seeming oblivious to his presence. Noctis approached her calmly, taking quiet steps in her direction, hands clasped behind his back and expression cool and collected, hiding the turmoil in his head.

Once he was standing behind her, he took two steps to the right and leaned forward, trying to steal a quick glimpse of her face. “Impressive.”

His guardian abruptly stopped playing and turned around to fully face him, an eyebrow arched upwards and a teasing smirk on her light pink tinted lips. “The real impressive thing here is your ability to greet every one of your guests without exception.”

Noctis chuckled at her comment while he straightened his back, keeping a respectful distance between their faces. “You know I didn’t do that on purpose.”

The pink haired beauty closed her eyes briefly – a shade of blue he had never seen before, so bright and crystalline – and turned her head away slightly. “I believe there isn’t anything I don’t know about you.”

“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

She nodded. “I may have been around for few years, but I do know everything that happened in your whole life.” Opening her eyes, she let her gaze meet his own, a mischievous glint in them. “Like that one time when Prompto hid in your closet and scared you after you and your friends watched a horror movie.”

Noctis was surprised, but he hid it well; that indeed happened. “You talked to Prompto tonight,” he stated simply, “how will I know he didn’t tell you that at the ballroom?”

Shrugging her shoulders and crossing her legs, his guardian turned away again and watched him from the corner of her eyes. “I know that sometimes you doze off while taking a shower and that whenever you sleep while laying on your back you have nightmares.”

Now he believed her. Trying to cover up his own embarrassment, the young prince tried to make her uncomfortable. He shifted his weight to his other leg and arched his eyebrow again, “So you watch me when I bathe,” he stated bluntly.

To his frustration, she didn’t show any other emotion – not even a light blush crept on her cheeks! – and her eyes kept their amused and teasing glint, as if daring him to embarrass himself more. “I don’t need to watch you to know where you are and how you feel.”

“How do I feel now?” He asked, trying to test her abilities further.

Facing him fully again, his warrior stood from her seat and even with high heels, she was two inches shorter than him. “You are shocked and impressed that I indeed know what happened in your life so far. You are also curious to know what my other abilities are, if I really am strong for someone that is almost frail looking in this dress.” She stopped, narrowing her eyes into slits. “I can assure you that I’m stronger than you think.”

Noctis examined her face with a slight frown on his own. “I didn’t expect you to accept my invitation.”

“At first, I wasn’t planning on coming.” She said as she placed her hand on her hips and cocked them to the left. “But some circumstances forced me to. I don’t enjoy dressing up and I avoid doing so whenever I can.”

He smiled then, glad that she was opening up to him so easily. “We have something in common, then. I, too, hate having to... Dress up.”

The corners of her lips tilted up almost imperceptibly, “I could feel your relief when you loosened up your tie.” Her smile vanished then, being replaced by a thin line and serious eyes. “Don’t get used to it. The first impression doesn’t always count most and I feel like being nice tonight.”

“Isn’t there supposed to be white feathers magically falling from the sky? Aren’t we, the Caelum, the only ones supposed to see you?” Noctis asked, just as curious as a child exploring their backyard.

Her blue eyes looked up at the ceiling as she spoke. “They only appear when I wear my combat armor,” her gaze fell on his face again, “and you are the only ones who see me when I’m wearing it. When I wear anything else, I can be seen by anyone.”

“Can I see it?” He asked immediately, cheeks heating up after he realized what he just said. _‘Ah, stupid Noctis,’_ he chided himself mentally, _‘you are sounding like a little kid!’_

A smirk glued itself on her lips as she turned and walked towards the open windows, body engulfing in a bright light as her dress seemingly evaporated from her body, being replaced by the shiny, silver and golden armor he saw her wearing the first day they met. And as expected, white feathers slowly fluttered in the air, and few even clung to their hair. The Guardian turned around and studied the young prince with emotionless, calculating eyes; Noctis had a feeling that that was her usual expression – serious, almost void of emotion –  and the one he would be seeing most, instead of that teasing smirk and glint in her eyes.

“You are nervous, Caelum.” Her voice was much less softer and playful than it was before; this was her real self. Her words ringed in his ears, _‘the first impression doesn’t always count most and I feel like being nice tonight.’_ “I can hear your heartbeat; it is as fast as a hummingbird’s.”

The dark haired man looked at anywhere but her eyes. It was already bad that he was a naturally shy person who had to hide away his true emotions; now she was able to constantly make him feel on the edge, and she embarrassed him and made Noctis embarrass himself – he could feel the tips of his ears getting hotter as he remembered. His whole life he managed to look cool and collected whenever he wanted, whenever he needed, and now this woman managed to make him feel like a little child in less than five minutes. Where did his cool façade go? What did she do to break his mask so easily like that? Since he met her he had been acting differently, Noctis sometimes even forgot he had to act like the prince he was.

Finally, he met her indifferent, but strong gaze. “I want to know more about you.” He said once he managed to pull out a straight face. “What’s your name? When will we meet again?”

Slowly, the warrior tilted her head to the side and examined his expression. She then closed the gap between them, surprisingly moving with grace and in silence, even though her armor seemed to weigh quite a lot. Lowering herself in one knee before him, the woman gently took his hand in hers and brought it close to her face, bowing her head so her forehead was softly grazing his knuckles. The action caught him off of guard, but Noctis neither stiffened nor pulled his hand away. Instead, he watched her through half lidded eyes as she showed him respect and devotion by such a simple gesture.

Rising to her feet, she graced him with one of her smiles that he knew they would be a rare sight to see from that day on and turned around to walk away, only stopping once she was close to the windows. Lifting her feet one at a time to stand on the windowsill, she turned around briefly to say, “Lightning”, then turned abruptly away and jumped out the window without another word.

Another strong gust of wind and more feathers scattered about, messing his already unruly hair and clinging to his clothes. He felt another smile pull his lips up – look at what she did to him, he was smiling stupidly _again_!

Noctis touched the keys of the piano and smiled to himself. Lightning, as strong and fast as the natural phenomenon, it disappeared just as quickly as it came. She was just as beautiful as a real lightning, too. 


	2. Pluviophile

* * *

  **Pluviophile**

* * *

  **(n.) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.**

* * *

As a child, Noctis had fears that any other kid would have; he feared the darkness, which was ironic due to the nature of his name, and thunderstorms, a common fear shared by many youngsters. He also had an unconditional and unusual fear of bunnies, as embarrassing as it was for him to admit, but thankfully for him, as the years passed and the young boy with chubby cheeks grew and matured, he overcame his fears, especially his fear of little, fluffy white balls of fur that nibbled on carrots.

Noctis rolled on his bed to lie on his stomach, the water drops falling hard against the windows and glass door that lead to the balcony of his room. The sound was comforting and relaxing, but they weren’t enough to lull him to sleep after long hours of study and meetings, so the prince resorted to sit up on his bed and run his hands on his face and hair, and leaned back against the bedpost to glance around the darkened room tiredly. Rubbing his tired blue eyes with his fingertips, he reached with his other hand for the switch to turn on the lights so he could read a book or sketch something, do anything as long as it would make him so tired he wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes open.

When light filled the room, he felt somewhat relieved. Although he had, yes, overcome his fear of thunderstorms, loud rumbles weren’t exactly his cup of tea, but he did enjoy the rain and the peacefulness that it brought to him and the bright rays of light that cut through the sky and clouds. When light filled the room, he, too, noticed the many white plumes fluttering in the air and lying about, scattered across the room messily. Noctis frowned as his hands came to rest on his lap; how he hadn’t noticed them before was a mystery to him, but soon his confusion was replaced with eagerness as he kicked the comforters away and got up from his ridiculously large bed. If there were feathers in his room, then the Guardian was nearby. Bare feet touching the cold floor, he quickly walked over to the large glass door, mind set on opening it and going outside to face the storm if it meant getting a glimpse of her.

He didn’t need to go outside; in fact, he didn’t need to get closer to the doors to see her. She was there, standing tall and imposing on his balcony, drenched from head to toe, hair darker than before and plastered against her skin due to the heavy rain, weapon in hand and eyes scanning the courtyard of his home.

His eagerness and excitement turned into wariness as he put up his guard at the sight of her defensive stance. He should have been alert since the moment he noticed the feathers, he thought bitterly; why else would she be around after not making any appearances for over five months? Of course she didn’t pass by to say hello; from what he could tell about what she had said long ago on that party, she wasn’t the kind that would drop by suddenly to chit chat. His blue eyes scanned the blade securely held between her fingers in a strong hold, the blood on the metal dissolving in the falling water and dripping off the sharp edge.

That triggered him to move forward and yank the doors open unceremoniously, allowing inside a strong gust of wind and many cold water drops, and also making her turn to look at him impassively. Unfazed by his gesture, the guardian nodded in acknowledgement and bowed her head low before resuming her stance, now with him standing beside her, soles planted firmly on the wet ground. 

Electric blue eyes swept across the dark scenery ahead, light pink lips parted before speaking as clearly as the thunders would let her. “My Lord,” she said cordially, voicing for the first time his title, “you should go inside. I can’t risk getting you sick.”

He only scoffed and leaned against the railing, hunching forward and squinting his own eyes at the darkness. She remained still and guarded, hardly bothered by the answer she got from him, far from getting amazed at his contained rebellious nature she had seen glimpses of in the past. Noctis glanced at her still form momentarily from the corner of his eyes, wondering if he’d ever get any sort of reaction from her and asking himself how he grew to like someone he had barely interacted with. It was so easy for him to crack his shell and tease her the first time they met; whereas he would normally have kept his face carefully composed and wouldn’t be as carefree, he interacted with her with such an ease that it made him feel as if he had known her for the longest time.

Of course, she knew more of him than he knew of her. Her identity as a Guardian granted her with every single imaginable fact that happened in his life, from his first steps and first words to what he had for dinner before bed the other night. And the only things he knew about her were her name (which was most likely a false one), her occupation and that her hair was naturally pink. That wasn’t fair in his mind.

Soundlessly and with an inhuman grace, she jumped onto the railing before plummeting herself forward and falling into the lightless courtyard, leaving the bewildered prince by himself without a single word. He strained his ears and leaned forward even more, trying to hear or see anything that was happening below, but as if playing a prank on him, loud thunders roared and the sky darkened considerably in the absence of the lightning that flashed occasionally. Everything happened rather quickly. In one moment she had disappeared into the night, in the other she silently landed on her foot beside him as her blade folded back into its dormant state.

“There’s nothing to worry about anymore,” she said coolly, placing her weapon away and shifting the shield strapped to her arm. “Go inside; you’re soaking wet.”

“Well, so are you.” Their eyes met, none showing any emotions at all as they regarded each other.

Minutes ticked by and Lightning finally replied, “It’s not my place to stay here.”

He stood his ground, defiant. “I can’t risk getting you sick.”

One thin eyebrow arched up at his choice of words; so he was using her own words against her. Lightning nearly scoffed at this, but instead kept her face carefully impassive and held his gaze. The Guardian knew that turning her back to him and leaving the place against his wishes would only result in making him remain at the balcony for the remainder of the night; she knew of his stubborn nature, she had seen him manipulating people before with his stubbornness only.

As the Guardian, it was her duty to care for his wellbeing, even if it meant going inside just for the sake of his health.

“Fine.” She ground out, turning around and walking inside the room without any sort of permission or even waiting for him to go first.

He followed her, closing the doors silently behind his back. “I’ll get you a change of clothes.” She remained silent, only narrowing her eyes in slight annoyance as he quickly walked to his closet, leaving a trail of wet footprints and drops here and there. Water dripped from her hair and armor, drenched the sash of feathers hanging from her hips and pooled around her feet where she stood. Lightning refrained from sighing out loud when he returned with a pile of clothes in hand, most likely his own, and offered them to her with a sheepish smile.

Not waiting for the confirmation that the clothes were indeed his, she took the pile with reluctance and marched to his bathroom, knowing by heart all the hallways and secret passages of his castle. “Use a clean towel from the cabinet to dry your hair,” he offered helpfully and darted inside his closet once the door of his bathroom had clicked shut. Quickly, he discarded his wet pajamas in a pile and slipped inside new ones, the sudden realization that he was wearing nightwear in her presence making his ears burn in embarrassment.

Back in his room, he considered sitting on the edge of his bed to wait for her, but something told her she would take it the wrong way. The prince glanced at the tall leather chair by his study table and headed there, only to stop halfway once he thought he would look way too formal there. Conflicted, he stood with his back to the bathroom door even when it opened and Lightning stepped outside wearing oversized pants and a long sleeved shirt.  Abruptly, he turned to face her and blurted out, “I’ll make some tea for you.”

As soon as the words left his lips, he was already out of her sight, having darted out the door as fast as his legs could carry him before she could even react to his words. Lightning snapped out of her shock quickly and followed after him, feet padding silently on the cold hallways, concentrating on seeking his vital energy and taking the same route as him. She soon arrived at the kitchen, where a kettle was already filled with water and above the blue fire of the stove and the prince was rummaging through the top shelf searching for the tea.

He gave her another sheepish smile after he pulled out a packet of tea bags, silently telling her that these were the only kind of tea he could prepare properly. She decided to help him by reaching for and setting the mugs aside by the stove, and he put two tea bags in each for a stronger flavor.

As they stood there waiting for the water to boil, she noticed that his aura was much calmer than just moments before in his room when she felt him extremely agitated and heard his quick footsteps. She could only translate these actions to a desire he had to please her just so she wouldn’t leave soon, and that was exactly what it was actually; she didn’t need to read his mind to know. He got attached way too quickly due to his fleeting obsession with the warrior-with-pink-hair-that-saved-his-life; in all these months between their last and current encounter, she could feel his doubt that she would ever appear again after that night rising.

“I’ll have to make it up to you,” Lightning broke the silence as soon as she sensed his calm emotions shifting.

Noctis glanced up from the floor to her face, arms crossed over his chest and legs stretched before him as his hips held his weight against the counter, and a slight frown marred his features for a moment. “If anything,” he started after a few seconds of contemplation, “I should be the one making it up to _you_.” She shrugged her shoulders indifferently, but still nodded her head to urge him to keep going. “You killed someone tonight, didn’t you?”

“Three actually.”

The frown returned to his face and he averted his eyes. “Were they after me?”

“Not all of them.” When silence stretched on, she realized he wanted more details. “Two were sent after you; the other one was just a distraction.”

“Where were they from?”

The loud whistle of the kettle filled the kitchen then. It took him some time, but Noctis eventually moved towards it and slipped his hand inside a dark gray mitten before taking the kettle away from the fire and putting it off. He poured hot water into the mugs, the tea bags floated up and bobbed up and down slightly until the water settled inside the recipients. After placing the kettle back on the stove, he carefully pushed the black mug towards her hands. “Sugar?”

Lightning resisted the urge to swallow. “Yes, please.”

He moved away from her to retrieve it, returning moments later with a silver tea spoon dipped into a well elaborated crystal pot filled to the brim with sugar. She was careful to serve herself, dropping the exact quantity of two teaspoons of the sweetener into her mug and twirling the liquid to mix it well. Noctis kept his eyes fixed on her tea bags that spun around in the tiny swirl and absently reached for his own mug, sipping it and earning an instantly burnt tongue and lips.

The Guardian took the mug away from his hands swiftly when he breathed in sharply, ignoring her burning fingers as she made to put it back down on the counter, and directed him to the sink, hastily turning the tap and getting the water flowing out. He cupped his hands and dipped his mouth on the small pool of water gathered between his palms, breathing evenly through his nose and half aware of her hand on his shoulder. However he did feel the pat she gave him, signaling that it was enough and that he could stop now. He shut the water off and straightened his back, muscles screaming and stiff due to standing in such an awkward position for at least five minutes.

Her hand still hovered in the air when he turned to face her. “Your fingers are burnt.”

“So are your lips and tongue.” That earned her a slight quirk of his lips as he recalled when he used her own words against her.  “Let’s get out of here before anyone comes.”

They placed the mugs on a silver tray to avoid more unnecessary injuries and silently headed back to his room, taking the longer route but consequently not running into any servants that, true to her words, were going to check what had happened in the kitchen. She maneuvered their way through the endless hallways, efficiently sensing their presence and evading them, and it made him all the more curious about her. Since a young age, Noctis had always been the curious type, often swarming his father and mentors with questions about everything that surrounded him. He enjoyed books, but he often failed to keep his eyes open for longer than three hours after he started reading, falling asleep wherever he was seated.

His avid brain yearned to learn more of her; of her unique powers, of her likes and dislikes, of what she did in her free time, if she had any. Hell, any information that she was willing to share would be accepted greedily by his hungry mind. Noctis often had to swallow down the wave of questions that was threatening to slip past his lips, knowing very well how overwhelming they could be.

Once inside the safety of his room, the least thing he expected her to do after setting down the tray was to propose something to him. “I have a feeling we’ll be meeting more frequently from now on,” the Guardian revealed whilst she stepped closer to the glass doors and pulled the overly long sleeves of his shirt up her elbows, mentally wishing the rain would die down soon. “I think we should establish a few things.”

The prince moved to sit on the edge of his bed as she turned to face him. “Like what?”

“How should I call you?” She referred to when she called him _My Lord;_ although she would rather call him by a title, she knew how much he disliked them.

“Noctis,” he replied simply, then added, “or Noct. Whichever is fine.” Her slight frown clearly showed she wasn’t much comfortable with nicknames just yet; he replied with yet another sheepish smile.

Lightning moved away from the doors, striding across the room with calculated steps so she wouldn’t step on the hem of his pants, and made herself comfortable by pulling back his leather swivel chair and sitting on it. She reclined, hands resting on her lap and cool blue eyes fixed on a painting on the wall. A comfortable silence fell upon the as she examined the gravure and he gently tapped his burnt lips to inspect how much damage was done; it hurt a lot less, thankfully. “I suppose I should give you some answers.” His eyes snapped in her direction when she broke the silence, a wide smile threatening to bloom on his lips. “A question every time we meet seems enough to me.”

He regarded her pensively, racking his brain for the right question to ask. “Be aware that some things I just cannot answer due to the nature of my job.” A nod to her commentary was his answer and he cupped his chin, brows knitting together as he thought harder. Lightning just stood there frozen in place as she waited for him to shoot the first question of what, unbeknownst to her, would become their little game.

“Can you read my mind?”

An amused eyebrow lifted for a brief moment. “No, I can’t.” He felt relieved, she sensed that easily. Although there was no need for him to hide behind a cool expression and keep it in check when around her, he still cherished his privacy, especially when it came to personal matters such as his thoughts. “I can only feel your presence. Your aura tells everything I need to know: where you are, how you’re feeling, whether you’re in danger or not. Your thoughts are safe.”

Noctis nodded his head, seemingly content with the answer he got; one question down, infinite others to go. “About your question earlier,” she started again, instantly catching his attention once more, “I’m not allowed to answer questions that might interfere greatly your life.”

He furrowed his brow. “You, yourself, are interfering greatly in my life by protecting me.”

She agreed with a curt nod of her head, knowing he would say exactly that. “But I was chosen to do so. I wasn’t, however, chosen to tell you who’s behind all of this and the reason as to why they want you dead.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if you told me so we could get this over with?”

“As much as it sounds like a good solution and tempting,” feeling someone else’s emotions all the time could be tiring, especially when it obscured her own most of the time; “then Etro herself would send you signs or messages. I wouldn’t be of use.”

He hadn’t considered that. Seeing her sitting in his room wearing such casual clothing made her seem less of a divine guardian and more of a regular human like his closest friends, and for a moment he forgot that their relationship was much more than of mere acquaintances. The loose clothes did little to make her seem relaxed, though; even without her heavy armor, she kept alert for any suspicious sounds.

Knowing he couldn’t ask more questions regarding her job as his guardian, he settled to watch the falling rain, legs pulled up to his chest and chin resting on his knee, a position that made him oddly relaxed. He breathed in deeply, the smell of rain mixed with their tea filled his lungs, and his eyelids slipped shut. Mind already drifting, he could hear as Lightning reached out for her mug and quietly stirred her drink with the silver spoon, then silence. His eyes peeked open, glancing at her discreetly, watching as she turned her body towards the doors and stared at the dark scenery outside deep in thought.

Her hair was considerably drier than before, curling in loose waves over her left shoulder and contrasting beautifully against the dark material of the borrowed shirt. In a room as somber as his, with neutral tones such as black, white and navy blue, her pink locks stood out, bringing a sparkle of life to his boring bedroom. Noctis closed his eyes again and concentrated on the noise outside that brought him a strange sense of inner peace, fingertips absently drawing patterns on the top of his feet and tracing the veins that stood out. Lightning’s presence made him feel even more at peace and safer, and after the whole ordeal they went through that night, he could easily say he was drained and spent.

Long moments passed, the rain grew heavier then later subsided. The Guardian had finished her tea long ago, but her fingers still were curled around the mug in an attempt to keep her mind awake. If she were outside under the rain and still wearing her armor, standing guard would have been much easier. She blinked her eyes repetitively, breaking herself from the trance when the light paddle of raindrops on glass finally reached her ears that seemed to have blocked out all sounds for the past thirty minutes.

Muscles stiff for sitting still for too long, she stood from the leather chair and placed her empty mug beside Noctis’s still full one. After rubbing the bridge of her nose and stretching her arms to rid herself of the weird sensation creeping up her limbs, she turned to the heir, who had fallen asleep in that awkward position of his, and approached him silently, carefully and gently lying him down on the bed and closer to the middle of the mattress. She felt as if she was tucking in a child; a twenty four years old child.

Head placed on the softest of pillows and body covered with silk sheets, Lightning scooped one of his hands up in hers and brought it close to her face, once again touching her forehead to his knuckles. “Sleep well.” She bid quietly, and then prepared to take her leave.

A strong gust of wind woke him up, glass doors open and letting the air in, silky black curtains billowing and shining under the sunlight. He rubbed his eyes and checked the clock; bright red numbers read it was nearing midday. Slowly, the prince got out of bed, a strange tingling sensation on the knuckles of his left hand, and he approached his work desk. The sight of clean, ironed clothes with few white feathers on top triggered memories of the previous night and he dragged a hand down his face as he groaned in disbelief. He fell asleep and she left shortly afterwards probably.

Now feeling rested and more awake than few seconds before, he brushed away the plumes, which fell on the polished dark floor and joined many others of its kind, and unfolded the shirt to bring it up to his nose and sniff it. No traces of her smell, only laundry soap. Setting it down, he noticed both mugs were filled to the brim, steam rising into the air in swirls, and he smiled softly.

Picking up the coffee mug and walking to his balcony, he sipped the drink as he admired the bright sky, enjoying his calm and relaxed state of mind as the light breeze stirred the plumes inside his bedroom.


	3. Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah so, here we are, one year and a half later and I still haven't played any Final Fantasy game. 
> 
> Truth be told, it's hard to stay connected with one ship/franchise when I can't always be in touch with it. I had never thought my oneshot would be updated, and I'd never believe that one day I'd suddenly feel the need to read and write more fanfics of these two. Again, here we are.
> 
> Well, now I think it's a bit too late to go back and rewrite it all so they can be more into character, so I'm leaving things as they are. I'll still try to fit them into their canon personalities as much as possible, though, and I'll make the effort to at least watch a walkthrough of the FFXIII games. I already convinced my boyfriend to get FFXV when it comes out so I can play, but it won't be happening so soon. 
> 
> This is a plotless story that I am now trying to give it a meaning and I am planning some future chapters. This is a full blown AU, and now that Stella was discarded from the game for some effing reason, let's all pretend she's Luna's younger sister. Yes. Perfect. (Wasn't it easier to change her role in all of this, I ask myself as no one hears me.)
> 
> I apologize for any grammatical mistakes, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Fever**

* * *

It was on one day when the winter winds were harsh and snow covered the ground outside that he fell sick and had to stay bedridden.

It was just a fever, one that hit him with full force and caught him unprepared. When was the last time he felt that tired and sleepy? It had been so long that the memories of said time were too blurry for him to remember. He would have his days off until he was well again, though he would rather have to study too much and attend one too many meetings instead of having to lie in bed all day with sore muscles.

His friends were there with him to keep him company. Even with the three of them along with him in his bedroom, his chambers were still too spacious and did not appear any smaller. That had been a problem when he was a little kid because the bigger the space, the bigger the darkness, and children at some point of their life did not enjoy staying alone in the dark when it was bedtime. Over fifteen years later and he still did not know what to do with all the space he had been given. His room was so well kept and minimalistic, it had always been. Perhaps adding something else to it would only make him feel bothered.

Prompto and Gladiolus sat on his dark couch and played one of his video games. He joined them for a little while until he noticed that his weariness and high temperature was not allowing him to concentrate on the game; he had crashed the car at least five times before they convinced him to lie down on his bed. It was then that Ignis joined them, wearing his usual tailored suit, and dragged a chair to his bedside, keeping him silent company.

Noctis felt like sleeping. When did he not, actually, but today it was different. He really wanted to close his eyes and rest, but at the same time, he wanted to stay awake and talk to them. He really enjoyed their company, and with his hectic schedule lately, he needed to make the most of it whenever he was granted the opportunity. The prince could see in his friend’s green gaze that he could understand how he was torn between the two options at hand, and decided not to push him towards the one he deemed best – for now. Noctis was thankful for that.

His father had come earlier that morning when he failed to wake up in time for breakfast, only to find his son with his dark hair damp and plastered to his forehead, skin flushed red. He was sure that it reminded him of the earlier years when the prince was still a little boy with chubby cheeks with problems to sleep after his mother’s passing. Noctis had, after all, woken up many times during the night and found Regis sitting on his bedside much like Ignis was now, but fast asleep instead of wide awake.

“You look terrible,” Prompto said with a hint of humor in his voice as he stood from the couch. Noctis sunk deeper into his bed and fought the urge to groan. “You could use some make-up to make yourself more... Presentable.”

Gladiolus snorted, a disc and a game case in his hands whilst returning everything to its place. “No amount of make-up would save him.”

“Haha,” the prince said dryly, rolling his blue eyes good-naturedly. Even that simple action seemed to make him more tired.

“Are you sure you do not want to sleep?” Ignis said from his right, one ankle resting over his knee.

Noctis smiled slightly and shook his head. He knew there was only so much time that his friend could go without expressing concern for his health. “I won’t die if I stay awake for a little longer.”

The only blond in the group sighed as he sat by his feet. “And here I was thinking that I’d finally be able to keep your video game collection to myself.”

“Sorry, buddy,” he hoped his smirk did not look like a grimace, “it’s not happening today.”

They steered the conversation elsewhere. It was nice to have them around for a small talk that did not necessarily revolve around politics, as it had been the focus of their attention as of late. Prompto immediately started talking about a girl he saw a few days back when he was out doing nothing in particular in the city, and since Gladiolus had accompanied him, he served as proof that he was not lying. The bigger of the two confirmed that, indeed, the blond had seen her, but that was just that. They spotted her walking down the street, but his friend made no move to strike up a conversation.

Needless to say, that earned him a slap on the back of his head.

Some minutes of talking later, the alarm went off on his bedside table, and Ignis did the favor of shutting it down before he poured a glass of water and grabbed the pills the prince would need to take. Meanwhile, said man tried to sit up by himself. He was only sick, he was not useless. The moment he was upright on his bed, his head started spinning, so he took the pills and swallowed them down with the water rather quickly, and promptly laid himself back down again. A sudden wave of vertigo hit him from all sides, but he concentrated on breathing in deeply to keep from vomiting.

Prompto was to his left when he opened his eyes again, fanning his face with yesterday’s newspaper folded in half. “Woah there, man. Maybe you really should take a nap.”

Noctis closed his eyes. The feel of the cold breeze on his overheated skin was too good. “Nah, I’m okay.”

“If he’s agreeing with Ignis,” Gladiolus started, standing by the end of the bed, “then you really should rest.”

His eyelids fluttered open with some difficulty. He hated to admit they were right, but he really did not want to sleep just yet. His lips parted, already dry and chapped, and the words he was going to say were stuck in his throat when the doors to the balcony burst open suddenly and noisily, letting inside a flurry of snow that was dragged by the cold gusts of wind. The chair scrapped on the ground mutely as Ignis stood and made a quick walk to close it before the prince could get worse.

And then Noctis spotted a little something that was out of place in his ever meticulously organized room.

Or rather, a little someone.

His Guardian stood a little ways behind Gladiolus, leaning back against his work desk with her arms crossed and icy blue stare focused on his face.

To his ultimate humiliation, Noctis wheezed then.

“Hey, man.” When he finally managed to drag his gaze from her to look at Prompto, he saw that the blond was staring at the otherwise empty space where she stood. “Are you seeing things now, dude?”  

“You’re making me worry,” the tattooed one added, a slight crease showing on his forehead.

Immediately, Ignis took out a thermometer from within the drawer and held it before the prince’s face until he decided to open up his mouth and cooperate. Noctis did so, although unwillingly, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment as she watched him from across the room. At least, she kept a straight face on, and not even her eyes gave away any signs of amusement or anything. The prince hoped the mattress would open in half and swallow him as he scrambled to lift the covers to his head. Why was she even here? Was someone trying to assassinate him again? Could he not at least be sick in peace?

Well, he reasoned, his exhausted gaze focusing on the ceiling; he was an easy target in his current condition.

After a while, they checked his temperature. It did not get any higher, but it had yet to drop. His friends shared knowing glances among themselves and decided to leave him by himself to rest, agreeing mutually that it was the best to be done for his health. Prompto for once closed the door on his way out, and he stared listlessly at the ceiling before closing his eyes for some moments.

When Noctis opened them again, well, he realized he had fallen asleep. The second thing his mind registered was the fact that she still was in his room, in the same exact place where he had last seen her. He tried to be discrete when turning his head to glance at the clock and had to bite down a curse when the number said that three hours had passed, burrowing his nose into the covers and letting the first waves of humiliation pass. All this was not good for his fever, he might just pass out again.

He could either try to peek at her from where he laid, or he could face her with bravery. Deciding that he had already embarrassed himself too much in a short span of hours, the prince shifted to a sitting position, or as close to it as he could manage for he still was lying back on his pillows. At least now, he could see her face clearly.

There was a minute of silence as they stared at each other, his mind reeling and working to find what to say. “Hey,” he cleared his throat to make his voice less raspy. “I haven’t seen you in a while.” Indeed, it had been about three months since that stormy night when he, for some odd reason, could not fall asleep.

Lightning nodded, “I decided to come check on you.” Either his fever was getting worse, or her statement had somehow managed to make him blush. Ah, he was in no condition to keep his emotions and reactions in check, anyway.

“Aw, you’re worried about me?” He meant to say that as a statement, just to try to tease her and get a reaction from his Guardian, but it came off sounding like a question.

One of her pink eyebrows arched minimally. “Worrying isn’t part of the job, you see. You should feel flattered.”

Noctis ran his hands down his sweaty face. “Alright, alright. Stop this right now lest I overheat and stop working.”

“What are you, one of your latest technologic devices?”

“No,” he said exasperatedly, his voice bordering a whine. “I just embarrass myself around you enough when I’m fine. Leave these things to when I’m not feeling half dead.”

Her stare was unwavering as she looked at him with intensity. He realized that she might just be trying to access and understand his emotions. Honestly, he felt awful, and if she was trying to see what he was feeling, then she was in for a ride. There was not one single thought in his head that was overly positive, he was just cursing this fever to the bottom of the underworld. He wished he could sleep it away, though, but it would be a hard feat even for him.

His body slumped completely on the pillows and he tried to keep his head from lolling from side to side as if he had no strength to keep it up. Of all days, she had to show up in the one when he was not able to give her much attention, but then, she came over because he was sick. If it were not for that, he would not see her again for a long, long time most likely.

“Your emotions are conflicting.”

A sleepy hum came from him as his initial response. “I just don’t know if I should be glad for this fever or not.”

“You shouldn’t,” came her answer as she finally understood exactly what was going on inside him. “I’m always around, you just don’t see me.”

“How come I never see any feathers?”

“You only see them when I’m close to you.” Oh, right, like that one time when he found feathers only in the training grounds. He was really overlooking some things and ignoring known information as he waited for the day she would show up again. Perhaps taking a daily walk around his home would raise his chances of crossing paths with her. “You shouldn’t be worrying over this now.”

It was as if he could almost see a frown on her face. Almost. His vision was too blurred. “I don’t have much to think about at the moment. I’ll take what I can get.”

“You should just rest.”

“But I don’t want to.” Gods, sometimes Noctis could be as stubborn as a little child. Was he that stubborn when he was younger? He would have to ask his father or someone else later. “I don’t get to see you or talk to you much.”

Her sigh was quiet, but he caught it anyway. “If I promise to drop by more, will you sleep?” Now she was really acting as if he was merely a seven years old who did not want to go to bed when the time came. Really, if he was saying that he did not want to sleep so they could talk, then she should feel special, if not flattered. He snorted at that thought. “So?”

“Yes, mother,” his lips curled upwards a little as he groped around to bring the covers up to his chin. “Will you sing me a song?” It was her turn to snort, and with that, he closed his eyes.

It did not take him long to fall asleep. Staying awake was what consumed too much of his energy, although sleeping whilst his body was that sore was not a pleasant thing.

Noctis dreamed of nothing. There was only darkness to greet him within his mind and that allowed him to have some moments of peace. He found that in these rare occurrences, he slept better, woke up calmer and well rested. Usually, his dreams were too vivid to distinguish between reality and fantasy. They led him to wake up with an erratic beating heart and sweat rolling down his temples and cheeks, for one reason or another. In his mind, he was either running around playfully as a child or running for his life.

As expected, his limbs were stiff by the time he was awake once again, and there was that slight headache that always appeared when he slept for more than he should. His throat was parched as well and he felt slightly disoriented as he tried to sit up on his bed, but at least it seemed like his fever had gone down a bit, so he let out a sigh of relief. His arms trembled and attempted to give away under his weight, though, and his legs felt incredibly weak, too.

Lightning was still before his bed, but now had made herself comfortable on his leather chair. He felt something odd stirring inside his chest at the realization that she had stayed and watched him sleep, and the prince tried to wash it away with a glass of cool water as he wiped his sweat away with a face towel. “For how long have I slept?”

“About two hours,” her fingers played with the feathers of her sash. “Ignis came to check on you, said you should take another pill when you woke up.” His blue gaze fell on her face, eyebrows pinched in the middle as he tried to make sense out of her words. “He was talking to himself.” Oh, his lips parted as he nodded. Of course, his friend could not see her.

“I’ll do it then.” His movements halted when she stood from her seat and strode to his bedside to look for the medicine inside the drawer. He accepted it from her hands with a mumbled thank you and swallowed it with a gulp of water. She sat on the chair once occupied by Ignis, one leg crossed over the other and arms loosely folded. “Am I that incapable of doing things by myself that everyone feels the need to watch over me?”

“I thought you enjoyed the attention?” Noctis fell silent and refused to meet her eyes. She studied him quietly for a moment, one eyebrow purposefully raised slightly just to mess with him. “Nice pajamas.”

His flushed skin was colored a shade of red she had never seen before, and then he buried his face into his palms. “What did I tell you about taking it easy on me?”

An amused noise came from her as response to his muffled voice. “But I am taking it easy on you.” Her left hand twitched slightly before her right one was placed over it to keep it from moving. “I’m being nice and playful. That doesn’t happen very often, if you must know.”

“Yeah, you strike me as the I’m-always-serious kind.” He confessed as his hands fell to his lap and his head tilted in her direction. “Maybe you and Ignis would be great friends.”

“Well, he doesn’t speak loudly nor cracks bad jokes nor walks around tripping over things, so I like him already, to some extent.” His gaze was inquisitive, but she just brushed his silent question off with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“You wouldn’t like Prompto, then?”

Her fingers laced together as her eyes focused on the ceiling. “Eh, he needs to give me one good reason to really dislike him. I just enjoy peace and quiet, and he was being exceptionally well behaved today.”

He figured that as much. He was about to speak again when a quiet rap sounded from the door and it cracked open not a second later, and his father half stepped into his bedroom. “Noctis?” His blue eyes were still focused on the ground as he continued. “I heard voices. Is there someone...” Then he looked up and saw her there, his words dying at the tip of his tongue.

For a moment, the heir did not know what to do, so he simply gripped his bedsheets in his fists and waited for what was to come. Lightning stood on her feet when his father fully entered his chambers and closed the door behind him with a soft click. She bowed at the waist as he approached them, his hands folded behind his back as he took in the scene. Noctis hung his head low to hide his face behind his dark fringe, not finding the voice to say anything.

She was the one to break the growing silence. “Your Majesty.”

“Please, rise.” The Guardian did as told, but did not reclaim her seat. She stood still under his observant gaze, and Regis smiled knowingly at the sight of the feathery sash on her hips. “It is nice to finally meet my son’s Guardian. Thank you for looking out for him.” Lightning bowed once again and held the position for a few seconds before straightening her back. “I trust he is not giving you too much trouble, though.” He said with a chuckle to which she cracked a slight smile as response.

“He is behaving himself quite nicely, Your Majesty.” Noctis wanted to snort at that. It seemed like he and Prompto were on her good side today.

Regis made a dismissive motion with his hand. “There is no need for such formalities between the two of us.”

A slight nod came from her. “I insist on giving His Majesty the proper respects, though.”

“Well, then,” his hand came up to rub on his greyish beard as his pensive gaze focused on the ceiling, “Sir should be alright, if you absolutely insist.”

Another bow, “Thank you for understanding, sir.”

“I am glad I finally got to meet one of our family’s Guardians.” He commented in a pensive tone, hand stroking his chin again. “I never got to meet mine.”

“He is a great man,” she reassured. “He taught me everything I need to know.”

“That is wonderful.” Regis looked down at his son who was still hiding away behind his hair. “Please, do tell me more about him some other time. Care to join us for dinner in a week’s time?”

Lightning dipped her head respectfully. “I would be honored to, sir.”

With that, the king shared a few words with his son and took his leave, leaving him and his Guardian to their doings. It took Noctis some time until he finally managed to lift his head up and look at her in the eyes, but she was unfazed and showed no signs whatsoever of being bothered by his father’s presence or request for dinner on the upcoming week. He was actually glad that she would be coming, though, however embarrassing that situation could be. He would have to wait to see the outcome.

She resumed her seating position and watched him with icy blue eyes, and he could see a hint of interest swimming within their depths. The prince merely shook his head and stretched his arms above his head before shuffling to the edge of the bed. Although not really needed, she was on her feet once again as her hands helped him support his own weight as he tried to stand. His body swayed slightly and his vision went black for some seconds, but his Guardian was there holding him up as the first traces of vertigo faded, and finally he could move again.

He picked a new pair of pajamas and clean underwear from his walk-in closet before disappearing inside his bathroom to relieve himself and wash his sweaty hair and body. He was still aching all over and standing upright made his body protest, but he could not be in bed until the fever completely went down and let him live normally. Noctis slipped on his grey nightclothes and exited the bathroom with a towel thrown over his head to dry his dripping wet hair, only to find her standing in the middle of the room looking fixatedly at him. Her stance visibly relaxed when he stepped out in one piece and without a single scratch on his skin. She was actually relieved that he had not fainted.

“I’m fine,” his hands worked the towel around his head, feet taking him back to his bed.

“I’m glad you are,” Lightning only whirled around in place to keep her ever-watchful gaze on him. “I should also take my leave.”

He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. “Already? It’s still early.”

“His Majesty won’t be able to keep Ignis far from you for too long. He’s very worried.”

Noctis hummed in agreement and sat on the mattress, covering his legs with his heavy comforters. “Very well, then.”

She regarded him in silence, watching as water beads rolled down the line of his jaw. “What’s your question for today?”

His brow furrowed as he contemplated her words, and soon enough he remembered that she would answer one question that he had every time they met. His back touched the pillows laid against the headboard of his bed as his fingers languidly moved the towel about. “Can I touch your hair?”

One of her eyebrows arched. “What kind of question is that?”

“I’m honestly too tired to think of something interesting to ask.” He shrugged his shoulders and twisted his lips in a frown. “I bet I won’t remember your answer clearly, anyway.”

Lightning held her place for a split second and then walked in his direction, calmly lowering herself down to one knee, head bowed slightly. Noctis slowly reached for the pale rose hair that curled around her left shoulder, fingers grazing at the strands and feeling their softness, his eyes admiring the many different hues that appeared when he twisted the locks around in different angles. He tried to smell the scent of her hair, but it seemed that his nose did not want to cooperate then.

He was starting to pull his hand back when her own suddenly grabbed hold of his wrist, and the prince watched wide-eyed as his knuckles grazed the skin of her forehead in that unique way that they touched each other before parting ways. Her fingers glided over his overheated skin as his Guardian lowered his hand to the mattress whilst standing up simultaneously, her stare holding his with ease.

“I must go,” she said quietly, her voice softer now than it had ever been before, and walked to the doors that led to his balcony. Lightning closed them behind her back before wind howled outside and he could see her there no longer, leaving behind stray feathers on the marble outside, and not a minute later, Ignis entered the room with their other two friends in tow.

“What’s so great out there that’s got you staring, Noct?” Prompto inquired quite curiously as he craned his neck around trying to find anything that was particularly eye catching out there in the snowy scenery, but for the life of him, Noctis could not find his voice to answer. His friend would never spot the feathers lying before his feet.


	4. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, oh oh, I have a little problem called inconsistency. That, and I had some highs and lows (mostly lows) since December. But I'm back, and that's what matters am I right? I just like being one chapter ahead when I post stuff. And I just finished one oh my.
> 
> Please, do enjoy this, even though I still haven't given this story a greater plot than just lightis shenanigans.

* * *

**Dinner**

* * *

His head jerked upwards and away from the cold marble of his bathroom wall, the water running smoothly from the shower-head still warm as it cascaded down only one side of his body. He had fallen asleep again in that position, once again not being able to rest his mind and body on the previous night because his mind was kept too occupied with matters that concerned her. Despite the fact that all the weariness he should have felt throughout the day came crashing down at once, he had no time for a nap, not that he really believed he would be able to close his eyes and lie still for a handful of minutes.

Quickly, Noctis resumed his shower and padded out the stall, using a dark blue towel to dry off his body and excess water in his hair before venturing out into his room with the fabric wrapped tightly around his hips. He stopped for a brief minute just a step away from the threshold and cradled his chin in his palm, blue eyes focused on an imaginary point on the wall farthest from him. Many things bothered him, all of which revolved around the fact that she was coming over after being invited by none other than his father. None of these things, however, was the sole fact that she would be in his presence again.

Snapping out of his trance, he wandered inside his closet to pick an outfit to wear, one that he had already planned out in his mind, not that it took great effort for him to pair the pieces he owned seeing as all of them matched quite nicely. He would go with pressed pants, a dress shirt and his polished shoes. Everything black, black everything. Perfect.

He occupied his hands with the boring task of drying his dark locks as he walked over to his black couch and claimed a seat in the middle for himself. His father had invited her, alright, and she said she would attend to it, but there were many things to consider that they did not think of it before and he had been too sick to even realize all the gaps in his father’s plan. For instance, how would she even enter their property? Only people with authorization from him or his father were allowed to enter. If she were to walk to the front gates – and Etro forbid that, she could not simply take a stroll outside in this awful snowy weather – if she were to do that... Noctis covered his face with his damp towel and groaned into the soft material. She had no car; she was not even from Lucis. Of course she would walk to the front gates. Or teleport straight to the front door which would only be hard to explain.

She would be freezing by the time word reached him of her arrival. He hastily stood to his feet and made a brisk walk towards the closest phone, dialing a number of one of the many sub-branches of his home and exchanged a few words with the gatekeeper, giving him a description of her features so he would know whom exactly to let in. As he placed the receiver down, a part of him relieved that one of his problems was solved, he moved on to the next one.

His friends.

Noctis was nearly sure that they would not be visiting tonight. Ignis had left to visit his family and Prompto made mentions of a date, which seemed pretty odd, but he decided not to comment on it. His personality was just... Too strong and his pickup lines were too terrible for any sane person to fall for them, but if he had managed to catch the attention of a girl, then Noctis was definitely happy for him. Gladiolus said nothing about his plans, so he could only guess that he would make good use of the night without two of their companions to maybe get drunk and catch some sleep.

How he envied him in the moment, especially in what concerned the latter.

If any of them were to show up spontaneously, however, what would he say? That she was an old family friend? Ignis knew of all possible old family friends the Caelum could have; he would only get suspicious if Noctis used that excuse. Not to mention that he expressed some concern after that party months ago when they had formally met. It only occurred to him, after Noctis was returning to the grand ballroom, that she was an unknown uninvited face, and for his delay on noticing such thing, he berated himself quite hardly on the days that came. He would certainly recognize her.

Prompto would most likely try to strike up a conversation with her, either to flirt with her or make insinuations of the relationship she had with him. Noctis was leaning more towards the latter for even if he was an openly declared skirt-chaser, he knew how to respect his friends’ friends... Or love interests.

That would be simply too embarrassing to live through.

Gladiolus would be cordial and amicable, but would later ask him about it. He would not jump to conclusions or try to make him say more than he wanted, and would respect his wish to remain quiet even if his curiosity killed him in the end. Although their relationship would not matter much, he would want to know who she was. He was present when Ignis said she had not been invited, after all, and if she could go past the security personnel, then she was trouble and dangerous.

Truth was, she had been invited. They just did not know that he wrote an extra invitation himself.

Either way, some excuse had to be made up. Noctis would feel awful for having to lie to them, but he could not simply say she was his protector when there were no mentions of them in books and their existent was only noticed by those who had Caelum blood in their veins. They had thought he was going mad once; this would only make matters worse. He could try to ask his father, but he doubted he would be of much help.

He fixed the collar of his shirt and closed the buttons at the wrists before grabbing a coat hanging on his chair and walking out while slipping it on. He was sure he could think of something until they showed up, if they showed up, and if he was lucky, she would lend a hand. His steps were quiet as he headed down the hallways towards the first set of stairs, his hands casually shoved inside the pockets of his pants to stop himself from wringing them. For some odd reason, he felt like he was going to formally introduce his sweetheart to his father, if his nervousness could be compared to anything.

Ah, wrong thing to think about. His tousled, still damp hair clung to his scalp as he shook his head as if he could throw the thought away. If Noctis were to remember this while in her presence, he did not think he would be able to keep the awkwardness from stirring the air around them.

The entrance foyer was clean and quite empty without the vibrant flowers usually seen there. One of their maids liked to decorate the various rooms of the manor with fresh flowers, usually lavender, but with all the snow outside, it was impossible to find any kind of plant. He stepped down from the last set of stairs and crossed the polished dark floor of the foyer, going to an adjacent room that they jokingly branded waiting room, where visitors waited for them or he sat down to wait for his friends. The fireplace was lit and the flames painted the wall a soft orange hue that flickered every now and then, providing him with some distraction.

Noctis occupied one of the sofas, leaning his chin into his palm and tapping an index finger rhythmically on his thigh. He would wait for her there so he could hopefully be the first to see her, and maybe even be the one to open the door and let her in, but by the looks of it, he dozed off for the next thing he knew a maid was gently shaking his shoulder and saying that his guest arrived. He did not think he had ever snapped awake and sprung to his feet so fast before, and that caught the poor woman by surprise as she gasped and staggered backwards. An apologetic glance from him left her assuring that it was alright before he went into the foyer and she disappeared into one of their secret passages.

Lightning was dressed in a deep violet sleeveless gown that hugged her torso and fell past the hips in layers until it reached the floor. In the split second he spotted her, the shivers she was trying to suppress were visible, so by the time he was closing the distance between them, his coat was halfway down his arms. “Can I call you by your name?” He inquired as the piece was draped over her shoulders.

She lifted a brow, arms sneaking inside the sleeves with his help. “What else are you supposed to call me?”

He shook his head, fingers working on the collar of the coat. “Can I touch you?”

“What?”

“Great,” his fingers grasped hers and he guided her to the room he had just left, trying to ignore the odd stare that he could feel focused on the back of his head. “Why are you dressed like that? It’s freezing outside.”

She welcomed the warmth of the fire as they stopped before the flames, her body rocking with one last shudder as she fixed him with a look. “Casualties,” she replied simply and did not elaborate.

For some reason, he believed these “casualties” had a face and a name, and distantly he recalled that she only attended to that party because of “circumstances that forced her to.” These little details made him want to ask... “Leave your inquiries to after dinner,” was her comment once she sensed the spiked curiosity swirling within him.

His gaze directed downwards to her feet. It was as clear as water that she was rather uncomfortable in that attire. “You could forego the shoes,” he mentioned, trying to be helpful. “The skirt is long enough to hide your feet. No one will ever know.”

There was a pause in which she seemed to consider his proposal. It was true what he said, and while her eyes showed discreetly that it sounded like a good idea, the frown on her lips told him she would decline. “Some other time, perhaps.” She would get more bothered at the fact that she was walking around barefooted than the fact that she needed to walk around in them.

Lightning passed him the coat after a while, and he led her away to the dining room where his father would be waiting for them. Noctis had far too many questions regarding her personal life, there were so many that they threatened to spill from his lips if he did not keep an eye on himself. She shot him dry glances alternated with concerned ones, feeling all the turmoil that troubled his mind inside her own head. That was something he wished were different in this Guardian-heir connection; she would hardly have the time and space to feel her own emotions and worry over them.

To stress the nature of their relationship, she walked a few feet behind him, trailing along silently even though her steps were too stiff to be quiet. He hated that, the way that some of his friends kept their distance because he was of a higher status, the only exception being Prompto, though he too had his moments when he did not come too close. Being royalty had its perks just as it had its downsides, and sometimes the negative aspects of his life outweighed the good things. While his lifestyle provided him with a sense of financial stability, there really were things that money could not buy. If only there was a way to balance it out.

The next thing he realized, she was walking alongside him. It was as if he could hear her voice in his head saying that he just had to ask, and that silent act was her way of letting him know that she was fine with it. She would not cater for the rules, he realized, and would do what was best for him, namely some of his deepest wishes. Perhaps that was the role of a Guardian: protecting you physically and keeping an eye out for your mental health. Maybe that was why she could feel what he felt and could easily translate his emotions into rational thoughts. Suddenly, it all made sense.

Noctis smiled at her and she nodded in return. Lightning but would not allow his title to greatly interfere with their still blooming relationship. She would do her job, but would still tell him what he wanted and needed to hear. She would treat him with respect, but would still stay close if he so wished, even if law said they should stand ten feet apart. She would pretend he was a simple person if he so desired.

Regis was sitting at the far side of the mahogany table, which was made for three. The other two seats were across from him, one at the very end and another to its left. His lips curled upwards slightly when he spotted them entering the room, his chair sliding backwards smoothly as he moved to stand. “Good evening.” Lightning did not bow as deeply that night; if anything, she felt too suffocated in that dress to move too much. “I am glad you could join us for dinner.” His hand swept out in an arch as he motioned at the vacant seats, silently telling them to sit.

As his father sat back down, Noctis pulled the chair back for her, which earned him a slight glare and he shrugged sheepishly in response. The moment he claimed his own seat, a servant strolled in with a dinner cart and a brand new bottle of wine that had been corked open. He poured them a drink, filling the glasses halfway through before sorting out the entrée, a mix of vegetable purees that were arranged beautifully on the plate and decorated with fresh herbs. Carrot, potato and beetroot, he realized, his father’s favorites.

If he could admit something to himself, it was that he felt rather strange when the two of them were in each other’s presence.  Regis made a small talk and asked her name, and Lightning replied with ease and seemed to be calm. His father appeared to be too interested in this Guardian ordeal, still he did not jump right to it and delayed the inevitable for as long as he could manage. Noctis sat back and ate his food at a deliberate slow pace, his gaze shooting back and forth between the two as he wondered just how she was feeling in that moment. He knew awkwardness was stirring his chest unpleasantly, and she must have felt that for she looked at him from the corner of her eyes with a questioning glance.

What could he even say when he did not know exactly why it was weird? It could be because his father met her, saw her, acknowledged her as his son’s Guardian, and he was about to squeeze every ounce of information from her that he could manage.

It definitely was not because he felt like he was introducing his sweetheart. It was not that. No.

Hopefully, no one would notice his slightly flushed cheeks under that lightning.

A hand entered his line of vision, taking away his empty plate and replacing it with the main course; lamb, peas, gravy and other things he did not bother trying to guess. “More wine, miss?” Said the man and he poured her more as he expertly held the bottle by the base on his left hand and tilted it.

The servant bowed and retreated to the kitchen at the sign given by the king, a slight lift of his fingers from the tabletop and a twist of his wrist. That meant no one was to come unless they were called for. “Lightning,” his father started and she returned her gaze to his face, “Would you tell me about my Guardian?”

Lightning paused, as if she had forgotten why she was there in the first place. Noctis saw in her profile as she seemed to pick her words carefully, her jaw setting for a moment. “His name is Caius.” She said after a break, her voice not quite sounding like her own to his ears. “He is serious, calm and strong. He taught me what I should know about the Caelum.”

For some reason, he knew there was not much she could say, because she did not want to disclose all little things of him. Regis seemed aware of that as well. “Anything else?”

“He is very determined. He would not leave until I could defeat him in battle.” She sipped her wine. “It seems like it is a customary thing to do once a Guardian needs to be replaced.”

“Where is he now?”

Her eyelids slipped shut, chest rising and falling as she sorted out her words. “Caius returned to his own time. I do not know where he resides, specifically.”

That caught their attention. It caught Noctis so out of guard that he nearly choked on a piece of whatever he had in his mouth. Time? His father’s Guardian returned to his own _time_? Yet another thing to add to his _Innumerous things to ask Lightning_ list. Regis looked down to his untouched food, pondering her words. Whatever he was thinking about, it certainly followed along the same lines of his son’s thoughts. They really needed a book about them, and maybe they would be the ones to write it.

Regis’s lips parted to speak once again, but one look at Lightning had him snap them shut. She was tense, incredibly so, and her grip on her knife left her knuckles white. “Sir, may I excuse myself for a moment?”

“Certainly.”

She stood calmly, but the brisk walk that followed showed she was not calm in the slightest. Noctis followed her with his eyes until the door was closed behind her back, and he was left alone with his father in the quiet dining room, both men looking at where she had gone to. He twisted the silver fork around in his fingers and rolled the peas around in the gravy, leaving a golden trail in their wake on the white plate.

“What do you think?” The king asked from over the rim of his wine glass, his eyes staring unseeingly at the center of the table.

 “I think,” he stabbed a different pea with each of the four tines of the fork, “that we need a guide.” His father’s lips curled with a hint of humor, but that was the truth. They did not know anything of them.

It did not take her too long to return, which he was thankful for because he had nothing else to say to the man before him. Nothing had changed on her appearance, except for one red droplet that was near the curve of her jawline on the right side of her face. Noctis tapped two fingers to his cheek when his father was not looking and she discreetly wiped it away with the back of her fingers. Another one down and Regis seemed oblivious to it as he declared they should eat before the food went cold, though Noctis knew better than to trust appearances.

Regis decided to drop the topic for the moment and started a small talk to his son so the air would not be too quiet. He spoke of an upcoming meeting and all the things it implied while Lighting kept herself busy with the steak on her plate and spoke unless she was being talked to. Noctis let himself focus on the taste and the rosemary scent of his food, taking his sweet time to finish all of it and avoid thinking of other things.

There was a quiet rap on the door before it opened in an arch and the same butler from before walked in. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. Someone requests to speak with you on the phone, they say it is urgent.” The king frowned slightly as he set his silverware down, and excused himself with a quiet apology as he stood, walking towards the door as his hands fixed the top buttons of his suit.

A few moments passed until he was sure they had walked away, and he did not even need to ask for she was already speaking before he could take in a breath. “Caius’s method of teaching is ruthless. He doesn’t think twice before speaking, he’s someone you would call rude.” Her hand was resting around the base of her glass. “His Majesty seemed to think his Guardian is such a gentleman. I couldn’t tell him that.”

“What else is there to him?”

She paused for a breath. “He can be nice when he wants to, which is rare, and hardly shows emotions. He’s a very reserved individual, but I could glimpse into his mind for a moment.” Her half-hearted shrug meant that she was not going to talk about him anymore, and he was fine with that. He took in the next bite of his steak, and she sipped her wine. “I think this is a good moment to... Ask whatever is in your mind right now.”

His jaw stilled as he processed her words, and then he cleaned the corner of his lips with the napkin to his left. There was just too much in his mind if he could be honest, but she knew of that already. “Well,” Noctis sat back, eyes focused on the ceiling as he searched for an appropriate question. “What is the true nature of a Guardian?”

“You ask that because, with powers such as yours, you don’t really need a Guardian, correct?” He nodded at her accurate guess, and a frown laced her features as she raked her brain for a proper answer. “We should just stand back and make an appearance when needed, like that one time when we first met. Very few Guardians talk to the heirs, actually. This,” she motioned between the two of them with her index finger, “hardly happens.” He twisted his lips and took in her words silently. “I wouldn’t know how to tell you how we came to be, though, why we are necessary for your family. That’s something not even Caius or the one before him know of.”

“Is there anything that makes you... A candidate to be a Guardian?”

Her next words seemed to be said more to herself than to him. “We both have people we want to protect.” Noctis assented with his head once in understanding. A protective nature was one of the aspects required to be a Guardian, although he could not see how one could simply force her or Caius to watch over someone else.

The rest of their dinner was passed in silence and rather quickly, seeing as there was not much left in their plates. The servant returned to the dining room before they could cross their silverware over their now empty plates, coming to retrieve the king’s food because he would be too busy for the next hour to join them again. With another apology delivered through the butler’s mouth, the two young adults were left to themselves as they finished off their drinks and lingered in their seats for more than necessary. It was still quite early in the night, but Lightning insisted on leaving, claiming that one of his friends could drop by for a visit and, more importantly, he needed to rest. He insisted on walking her to the gates, though.

The air outside was chilly and in an act more out of friendliness rather than chivalry, he placed his coat around her shoulders again to keep her warm throughout their short trek through the front yard of the manor. Snow circled around the paved paths that had been shoved clean before nightfall, and most bushes and trees were bare to the bark during the season. It was still nice to sit on his balcony and watch it all though.

“You have one question pending from last week,” she declared suddenly, the breeze playing with her pale rose-colored fringe. That statement got him to look at her curiously. “And since the food was enjoyable, I feel like being nice and I’ll let you ask another question, though I’m disappointed that there was no dessert.”

Noctis smiled sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck as his gaze focused forward once again. He liked it when she joked so spontaneously, so out of the blue; it made it feel like they knew each other for longer than they really did. With his hands deep in the pockets of his pressed pants and face tilted up towards the starry sky, he asked oh so casually. “Where do you live?”

“Valhalla,” was her instant reply.

Now the next question. The small detail that Caius returned to his own time got his mind reeling throughout dinner, but he did not think she would be able to explain it tonight. “Where are you from?”

They stopped a few feet before reaching the front gates, the gatekeeper peering at them curiously from inside the cabin where he stood watch. “Bodhum.” Slipping the coat off her shoulders and laying it on the crook of his elbow, she said, “Try not to worry too much about details the next time something like this happens. I can’t concentrate when you’re so over the edge.”

A light blush of embarrassment spread across his cheeks, and she moved to stand between his form and the curious eyes of the keeper still looking at them. Her fingers grasped his as she lifted his hand to her forehead, letting his knuckles brush the skin there. He breathed out, a hushed sigh that hung between them as a puff of white mist. “I’ll never get tired of this.”

Lightning smiled at his whispered confession, gently dropping his hand as she took a step back. “It will be happening some more times, so I really hope you won’t tire.” Flashing him a quick smirk, she turned around and walked to the gates, nodding to the keeper as she walked past him and into the streets.

Feathers appeared not too far from where he last saw her before she blended in the shadows.


	5. Road Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... I take it everyone knows that the game was delayed? I wouldn't be too worried about this normally (since I won't be playing it anytime soon anyway) BUT I did start Dreamworld and I want that story to follow the canon storyline. So yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do yet.
> 
> Older Noctis tho? Didn't think SE could fuck me up more yet here we are. /screams into the void/
> 
> Also, reminder that Luna and Stella are sisters because yeah. Shoved Stella here and removed Luna's brother. Yes, good. 
> 
> I still don't know what I'm goingwith this.

* * *

  **Road Trip**

* * *

 

He would be lying if he said that he did not turn the library upside down trying to find anything about Bodhum.

And there really was nothing to be found.

Noctis sat among heaps of books for days on end, flipping through endless pages, but not a single thing had been found, not even a mention of said place. The history books gave nothing away and the encyclopedias were just as useless. He even considered going to the library downtown seeking for any clues, but if there was nothing to be found in the personal stash he had at home, then he doubted going there would be of any use.

There was a little hope that something could be found in his father’s office, though. Regis had access to many old books and manuscripts, some of which were not even translated to their current dialect; perhaps these ones would make him feel like he was not wasting his time. He would just need to ask him to borrow them for a little while and then he would have some answers – hopefully.

The fact that there was nothing written regarding that place left him with two possibilities: that it was either too ancient to be remembered, or that it yet had to happen, and given that it seemed Guardians came from any possible point in history, the latter was just as likely as the first. How was he supposed to feel like when someone from the past or future came around to help him? It seemed way too surreal, as if it came straight out from a fiction novel.

He sat down on a cushioned chair by the window, letting his gaze roam the courtyard and taking in all the changes. The snow had melted, the weather was warming up once again and the first few leaf buds were starting to sprout, and like she had promised a while ago by his bedside, Lightning dropped by more for visits. There was no pattern to be followed; she could appear for four days straight and disappear for two whole weeks, and he was content with that as long as she came around to say hi. She had the tendency of appearing when he was with his friends, though, and watched from the sidelines as he tried to keep his expressions in check. The last time when he was sick had been embarrassing enough.

Sometimes he admitted to himself that he did not know what to think of their bond, even if his curiosity got the best of him most of the times. He was a quiet man that would rather not talk to too many people, someone that had to always keep up a mask and an impression to make other believe he was tougher than he really was, to pretend he was not shy. And then someone that could easily see through his façade and shatter it came along, someone that knew what he was feeling all the time despite the effort he put into hiding them under layers of training, someone whose purpose was to protect him.

He still did not know why he needed protection. The powers of the royal family could hardly be bested by anyone alive, why would Etro appoint someone for the job?

His earlier guess that Guardians should watch over the heir’s mental health had been debunked on that one dinner many nights ago. His father had never met his Guardian, and Caius did not seem to be one that would pat someone on the shoulder and try to comfort them. Lightning did not seem fit for that kind of job either, yet sometimes she decided to walk beside him and stand slightly closer so he would not feel like their bond was just another royalty-servant relationship. Whatever reason that made her initiate these actions, he was thankful for them, because sometimes his oldest friend forgot they were more than simply a prince and an advisor.

“You have been spending quite a lot of time here, lately.”

Noctis smiled slightly as he slowly lifted his head from its resting place on his fist. Ignis always seemed to appear when he was thinking of him, for one reason or another. “I felt like doing a little research.”

“About what?” The advisor cast a glance at the books strewn over the tabletop and the piles surrounding the same piece of furniture. It certainly did not seem like a “little research.”

“A place, but it seems like I haven’t found anything.”

“That is a shame,” he offered a browned paper case to the prince and clasped his hands behind his back as he flipped the file open. “Perhaps Lady Lunafreya can allow you to use her library.”

Blue eyes scanned the document briefly. “When am I supposed to leave?”

“As soon as possible would be best.” Ignis pushed his glasses far up his nose bridge. “We will drive you there. His Majesty said it would be a good time to take your mind off things.”

Noctis shifted in his chair, equilibrating the case on the armrest. “I could really use a break.” He rolled his shoulders to stress his point. “We can leave tomorrow morning.”

His friend’s hand halted halfway to the document and his gaze fell on his face as he studied him with some interest. Finally, he resumed his actions. “You are never too eager to go to Tenebrae.”

“I feel like Stella easily lets her feelings for me take over.” It was no secret to anyone that the younger Fleuret had a massive crush on the Lucii prince and she could easily forget how to behave in public. He did not blame her, though. She was three years younger than him, and seven years younger than Lunafreya, the crown princess. They all had that moment in their lives when they were trying to impress their love interests. “I haven’t seen Luna in a while, though. She couldn’t make it to that party.”

“I understand.” He really did not, and the way he was pinching the paper between his fingers was an indication of that. “You really want to make use of her personal library, do you not?”

The prince chuckled, rubbing a palm on the nape of his neck. “Yeah, I do.”

The trip to Tenebrae would take a few days. He packed the essentials, and they set off on the Regalia, hitting the road early in the morning. Ignis was more than surprised to see Noctis awake earlier than he should be, but as soon as he sat on the backseat, he fell asleep. He had an unflattering woolen beanie on his head and a pair of knitted gloves on his hands to keep them warm. It was easy to chill to the bones in the convertible car if one did not take care, though Prompto hardly ever put on so many layers of clothing; all his moving around kept him warm, besides his body temperature was the highest one in the party, most likely thanks to his fast metabolism.

The scenery was gray with very few patches of remaining snow and even rarer patches of greenery, and there were some rock formations, but that was that. It would change once they got closer to the province; some pine trees would appear and there would be a nice waterfall to greet them just outside the city limits. The weather would get warmer, hopefully, Noctis would be able to take the beanie off and Prompto would have nothing else to make fun of. While the prince was fast asleep, the blonde took pictures of him, Gladiolus muffled his laughter and Ignis kept his eyes on the road.

If it were not for Ignis, they would take much longer than needed to reach their destination. It was easy for Prompto to lose focus of things, and Noctis enjoyed camping out in the open more than he liked to admit. His best friend picked on that detail the first time the prince decided to take his sweet time to pack his things so they could leave the campsite and get back on track. It was understandable as these were the only times that he could have away from his life to feel like a normal person.

As usual, they camped that night by a lake. The water glittered under the sunset and was painted different colors as the sun sunk lower over the line of the horizon. Noctis sat watching it as he half-heartedly paid attention to his lure, his mind wandering and thinking of too many things at once. The first thought that occurred to him, the quietest one, was that it had been so long since he had had the chance of taking a swim. Years, maybe. He would do so now if the water was not freezing, and for a second he wondered just how they would bathe that night. They most likely would not.

The other thing, filling his mind with noise at an average volume, was that he really, really wanted to turn Lunafreya’s library upside-down in his quest to find anything about Bodhum. Of course, first he would spend some time with her and share few pleasantries. And since Luna was so passionate about history, a trait they had in common, then perhaps she would like to join him.

The third thought, and by far the loudest, got him wondering just where his Guardian had gone. He thought she would show up on the previous night to spend some time with him before he left, but she was nowhere to be found. Part of him worried that she was unaware that he left the manor; another part was not so much because she would be able to pick on his emotions from miles away – from another dimension, Valhalla no less. She would come around and he would not need to jump off a cliff to summon her.

Ignis cooked dinner that night as usual. Gladiolus managed to catch some fish while Noctis was lost in his own world gazing off at the distance. They cooked them over the fire with some herbs and seasonings, and has it served with mashed potatoes and vegetables that Noctis pushed aside. They played a game of cards in the meantime, having to call out Gladiolus many times for cheating and making Prompto whine for losing, and Ignis made himself some coffee before going to bed; it was a mystery to Noctis how he could drink that awful thing and still fall asleep later, but he did not judge. The night was uneventful as the prince laid passed out in his shared tent with Prompto, not even flinching when the blond talked at night.

Stopping only for gas and to eat, or to do some other very important things, they reached Tenebrae early in the evening of the third day of their road trip. Set in a mountainous area with lush vegetation in every little corner and crease, the province was one of a kind with its tall buildings and their arches, towers and pointed rooftops. It seemed like someone had taken it out of a fantasy novel and made it come true. The weather was warmer, nicer, and he could forego the gloves and the beanie, stuffing them away out of sight before anyone in the city could spot them.

They reached the castle and Stella was waiting for them by the front doors, rushing down the set of stairs before they had even parked. Servants came to take whatever bags they would need and the princess led Noctis inside by taking his hand, smiling brightly at him and blinking her long eyelashes. “Lunafreya is caught up in a meeting right now,” she mentioned after some rambling. “She’ll join us for dinner, though!”

Stella disappeared with him to the gardens, leaving behind his friends, two of which were snickering behind their fists. The princess could be a bit overwhelming at times with the way she clung to him, but he let her be. Noctis only feared that she would never outgrow her crush for him and would have her heart broken if he ever got married to someone else or did not reciprocate her feelings if she eventually decided to confess. Maybe increasing the distance between them would be best, but he did not want to hurt her, so for now he only evaded her flirting and changed the subject whenever possible.

She showed him her new plants, the bushes of flowers and the nice archway of roses they put up by the fountain. It hardly ever snowed in Tenebrae so they could have pretty gardens all year long. Looking at the lilies in bloom and inhaling their sweet incent, he wondered if Lightning liked flowers.

By the time he was dragged back inside by the teen, Luna was there in the room talking to his companions, all dressed in pristine white with her hair pinned back in her usual up-do. “I see Stella already took you to her gardens.” She commented as she stepped closer, heels muted by the carpet beneath them, and she looped her arms around his shoulders in a friendly hug. “How is my favorite prince doing?”

“Better now that the temperature isn’t so low.” He pulled back a little moved away from her form. “And you, Lady Lunafreya?”

“Hungry.” Behind her, Prompto chuckled. “I swear I can smell the food from here and I am afraid my stomach is going to do some somersaults.”

She claimed a seat on the elegant, velvety couch by the tall windows and motioned for them to do the same. They talked about their family and whatever else they could think of; they would focus on politics on the next day when they were all well rested and in good shape to discuss such things. Luckily for Luna, it took less than thirty minutes for dinner to be ready, so once they were informed that it was about to be served, they made their way to the dining room – with Stella and Prompto racing to see who could get there faster.

It was usual for him to seat at the end of the table across from Luna, Stella sat by her right, Ignis to his left, and his other two friends always mock bickered to see who would take the remaining spot by his side; the winner was chosen after a round of rock-paper-scissor, and it usually was Gladiolus, because he has the habit of cheating on games and somehow he found a way to cheat on that one as well.

There were some broccoli florets mixed with the rice. Noctis picked at them with a fork and placed them together in a small pile away from the food he would actually eat. He cut a piece of steak and brought it to his mouth, then put away the tomato slices away as well.

“Eat your vegetables.”

He choked on the meat, silverware falling from his hands onto the plate and he clasped one of them over his mouth, coughing into it as his body turned away from the table. “Oh Gods, Noctis! Should I get some help?” Luna asked, eyes focused on Ignis’s face as they both moved to stand from their chairs. Noctis said something incomprehensible in between his fits of coughs and made a hasty and speedy exit, nearly knocking back the chair as his quick strides took him to the nearest bathroom.

Thankfully, none of them followed him. He slipped inside the room and locked the door, quickly moving to the toilet and spitting out the steak in his mouth. “You could have warned me.” He said in between gasps for air, body hunched forward and hands on his stomach.

“I apologize.” She answered from her place by the sink. “I thought you had noticed and did a good job in hiding.”

“Since when are you here in Tenebrae?”

“Since this afternoon.” Lightning replied easily, her icy blue gaze following his form around the bathroom. He flushed the toilet before moving to the sink. “I stood guard at night and decided to wait here for you.”

Noctis cupped his hands to rinse his mouth, his breaths still deep. “How come I didn’t see any feathers around the palace?”

“I wasn’t in this form.”

That made him stop for a second. He often caught himself wondering if she ever left Valhalla to take a walk in Insomnia as if she was nothing more than a regular civilian and did not have to stand guard over him. He spat the water out and twisted the tap until it was closed. “I’m glad to see you again.”

“I know, I can feel it.” Noctis dried his face and hands, still avoiding eye contact. “I promise to visit you at night. Then, you can ask whatever you want.”

“As many questions as I want.”

She breathed in deeply and exhaled through her nose. “Yes. It might not seem like it, but I’m in a good mood.” The prince beamed at her. What he felt could be compared to a child’s excitement, and if he started to bounce in place, then the mental image would be complete. “You really should go now.” Lightning commented quietly after a handful of seconds of eye contact and no conversation at all.

“Yes, I – I’m going now.” Except that he did not move.

Lightning rolled her eyes without malice and unlocked the door herself, letting it swing open in an arch. He looked at the door, then at her, and nodded a little dazedly, his feet carrying him out into the well-lit hallway bathed by the sun’s dying light. The walls were painted orange and the chandeliers overhead glittered beautifully in the sunset. Noctis turned to look over his shoulder expecting to find her gone, but she still was there, standing just two feet past the threshold. Her silver armor was gold, her pale hair was a shade he could not describe and her blue eyes were as clear as a crystal.

His breath hitched. He had never seen her so beautiful before.


	6. Late Night Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate it that my focus shifts so much and so quickly, and then I can write 40k words for a new fanfic and at the same time abandon an older one. Plus, I've been stuck on chapter 9 of this one ever since I updated back in August; I know where I want to go, but don't know how to get there. Tragic.
> 
> Still, I hope you enjoy whatever this is. The next two chapters will have more lightis!

Noctis returned to a silent dining room, explained that he had choked and that he was fine, and then reclaimed his seat by the end of the table as if nothing had happened.

“You sure you’re fine, man?”

He nodded at Gladiolus, grinned and placed a piece of broccoli in his mouth. The room grew still, quiet, as he chewed and swallowed the plant.

To his left, Ignis cleared his throat and uneasily adjusted his glasses on his face. “I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but are you sure you are well?”

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t be.” He replied with a touch of confusion to his voice, dark eyebrows pinching slightly.

“Well, you see, Your Highness–”

“Dude, you just ate a broccoli!” Prompto exclaimed, slamming his hands so abruptly and hard on the tabletop that anyone would have choked had they been eating. “You don’t eat greens and plants and all that stuff.”

Oh. He looked down at his plate and slid his tongue against the front of his teeth. It tasted different, but far better than the green soup the cook used to make back when he was a kid. It was odd, made of spinach and kale, and many other things he did not remember. The soup used to sit on his tongue and leave a weird sensation that reminded him of when he ate unripe bananas, and so he never ate anything that was green again, or any other color, really. He stopped eating vegetables altogether.

“I... Didn’t even notice.” It was true. He was so eager to get out of there and go to his bedroom that he did not realize what he had picked with his fork.

“Please, consider eating your vegetables from now on, Prince Noctis.” Ignis turned back to his meal and resumed eating, the rest picking up on that and doing the same, albeit hesitantly.

Luna smiled mischievously at the man across from her and his lips tilted upwards sheepishly. Aside from his little careless display, dinner resumed and ended without further disturbances. The plates were taken away and replaced by smaller, clean ones, and a servant brought in a strawberry tart that looked like it had been taken straight out of a culinary book. The crust was the perfect shade of gold and the fruits were big and round, a beautiful shade of red.

He ate a small slice. It was not usual and though he ate sweets every other day, just a few, rare times would his sweet tooth really kick in. This was not one of those times, but a little something sweet after dinner was always welcomed. Sweets over coffee. Ignis seemed to disagree with his line of thinking as he sipped some of his ebony drink from a flowery cup and ignored the slice on a plate set before him, which Prompto sneaked for himself when his friend got engrossed in a conversation with the younger princess of Tenebrae.

They talked some more where they were, not bothering to stand and move to a room where they could get more comfortable. Though still early in the night, the group was exhausted from their trip, so they retired to their respective bedrooms before the clock struck nine. Lunafreya and Stella both walked him to his chambers, the latter a little ways ahead with a skip to her step. Luna spoke of upcoming events, and offered to let him stay at the castle if he decided to come. When they were younger, they used to hang out together whenever there was a festival in her city or his, but ever since the incident with his mother, Noctis preferred not to participate in such activities.

He thanked her for the invitation nonetheless, even though both of them knew there was a big chance he would not set foot outside the mansion around these times. It reminded him too much of his mother and her love for these kinds of gatherings, she had always been the one to accompany him, and he would always give her any prizes he managed to score in games targeted for children. He still missed her, very much so.

Bidding both princesses goodnight, Noctis half expected to find her there standing by the end of his bed, and was not surprised to see the room void of any kind of living form. He wrinkled his nose in disappointment, but he knew she would drop by at some point, because she said so and she never left him hanging before. The door was closed and locked, and the prince unpacked his clothes, arranging them on the shelves inside the wardrobe. He grabbed his pajamas and a clean pair of underwear, heading to the bathroom and looking forward for a very much needed warm shower after nights of heating water over the fire and cleaning whatever he could with a damp cloth.

The droplets fell on his shoulders and back, and he sighed blissfully, leaning onto the cold wall of the stall and feeling the hairs of his body rise from the contact. He could easily fall asleep on the spot and wake up the next morning to the sound of one of his friends knocking on the door. Noctis pushed himself away from the tiles and decided to wash his hair and scrub his body vigorously, then quickly dried himself and slipped on his nightclothes while the air of the bathroom still was misty and warm.

He leisurely brushed his teeth, starring at his blurred reflection in the mirror with disinterest, towel draped over his shoulders so the drops of water that fell from his hair would not reach his pajamas. He dried his locks as best as he could and ran his fingers through them in a poor attempt of combing, and finally decided to exit the room.

Lightning was there this time, standing right where he imagined she would be, by the foot of the bed. Her stance was relaxed as she looked around the room with a critical eye. “Too many openings?” He offered tentatively and she shook her head.

“It’s very different from yours, is all.”

“Oh. Definitely.” He chuckled, moving towards the bed, bare feet touching the cold floor. “More furniture, more colors. Tenebrae is much more colorful than Insomnia, despite its name.”

“Which is funny, if I’m allowed to say so.” She turned to face him, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “I mean, look at the name of your city and then at your sleeping patterns. They don’t match at all.”

“You’re so funny, Lightning.” The sarcasm was evident in his voice, but he still smiled playfully at her.

She shrugged and walked around the room, feeling his gaze accompanying her wherever she went. Her sash swished gently with every step, which seemed be lighter than usual as if she was afraid someone would hear her. Her blade rested by her hip and her shield was still there, though he wondered if she ever used it seeing as she was invisible to most enemies.

“What was your life like?” He blurted out before he could see the words coming, and she halted mid-step, all the way across the room. Her hesitation was visible to him, muscles tensing and fingers clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

“I was part of the Guardian Corps.” Back still turned to him, she continued. “I have a younger sister and she was dating the most stupid, infuriating guy I’ve ever met.”

“Worse than Prompto?”

“Much worse,” she said with a hiss and her hands balled into tight fists. “Now they’re married, they have kids,” at that, she snorted, “and I became the younger sister.”

Noctis sat down on the bed, the mattress shifting underneath him. “You’re an aunt.”

“Yes. Thankfully, they’re the spitting image of her. Gods forbid they looked like that – that–” Lightning groaned low in her throat, and behind her the prince chuckled at her antics. She turned around to face him and closed the distance between them, standing a couple of feet before his sitting form.

She was still annoyed, that he could see written all over her face. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were gleaming with displeasure. Whoever this guy was, he really knew how to get a reaction out of her. Noctis wondered for a moment if he was the one that was always tripping over things and telling bad jokes; whenever Prompto cracked an awful pun and she was in the room, her face would contort into annoyance, and it was not the “your-pun-is-bad” kind of annoyance. It was the “this-reminds-me-of-someone-I-don’t-like” kind.

“Lightning.” Saying her name aloud was odd to his ears, yet it felt right on his tongue. She nodded to let him know she was listening. “Is it your real name?”

She set her jaw. “No.”

“Alright,” he did not want to push, yet he was curious and her negative response made him feel a little disappointed. She picked up on that and shook her head to reaffirm her point, and he let it go. If she ever felt comfortable enough to share this information with him, she would do so on the long run. “You said you’re the younger sister now. Why is that?”

His Guardian bit the inside of her cheek and glanced up at the ceiling as she formulated a response. He waited patiently, his toes playing with the fuzzy carpet under the soles of his feet. “There is no concept of time in Valhalla.” She began, arms folding over her armored chest. “I was recruited the moment you started forming in your mother’s belly. I was twenty-one when I was taken out of Bodhum and transferred to Valhalla to be trained by Caius until you were born and I could take his place as Guardian of the heir.

“Valhalla is frozen in time with no past or future, yet the wheels of the universe keep turning regardless. While I was doing my duty, most of which did not require me to leave that place, my sister outgrew me. Ever since you were born up until now, I’ve only physically aged about two years. My sister, however, is now in her forties.”

Noctis looked down at his hands and absorbed the information like a sponge. He was worried, to say the least, that she would outlive her sister and then would return to her own time and place once a new heir appeared. She would most likely be deceased by then, and Lightning would be alone, probably with her nephews or nieces, whom she never met before. He could see her sister was important to her and that they had an important history together. To take Lightning away from her side so she could watch over him instead seemed cruel and made him wish he could free her from this burden.

Once again, his Guardian was staring at him, eyes piercing through him in a way that made him feel a little discomfort. “Stop it.”

He was quite sure of what she was talking about, but decided to pretend he did not. “Stop what?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Lightning took a step forward, her hand lashing out in an arch. “Stop feeling pity for me. Though I didn’t have much of a choice, I don’t regret this.” She huffed and moved away, gloved fingers ruffling through her pink bangs as she stepped closer to the window. Noctis remained silent and unmoving, and she stared at the dark sky outside with little interest. “It gave her the opportunity to grow and learn how to fend off by herself. I wasn’t there to stop her from marrying a reckless guy, but he makes her happy and hasn’t made her cry of sadness since.”

He listened on intently with his head bowed and eyes closed. “I can see what she does from Valhalla and sometimes we talk. I don’t know if that link between worlds is a blessing or a curse given by Etro, but at least it allows me to hear her voice.” His blue eyes opened and rose from the floor to stare ahead of him, his lips dry and parted, and his emotions stirring. Whether he was experiencing an advanced kind of empathy or their feelings were mixing he could not tell, but his chest was filled with a sadness that was beyond control.

“She is a school teacher; she has always been good with kids. She named one of her kids after me, but no one can tell. She made new friends of all ages.” Lightning lowered her head and turned away from the scenery outside. “I can’t be there to live it with Serah, but I am happy for her.”

At some point in her story, her voice grew softer and fonder and dropped to a whisper. When she no longer spoke, Noctis rose to his feet and walked over to her. He did not know what to say and maybe it was best to keep quiet, so he merely reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. They did not make eye contact or talked at all, each were facing different directions, standing still and quiet, shoulders rising and falling with every breath they took. Finally, Lightning raised her chin and tilted her head in his direction. The prince remained silent and bit the inside of his cheek, eyes closing. “Yes,” she said easily, the word making a shiver roll down his spine, “you may.”

Perhaps he should have hesitated for a while, perhaps he should have done it slowly, yet he turned around in a blur of black and encased her in his arms, pulling her close until her chin was resting on his shoulder. Her hands were feather-light when they touched his back and returned the embrace, and he hoped she was smiling. Maybe she did not need or want a hug, but she allowed him to do that because he wanted to. They were not very physical except for when she was departing or circumstances required that they touch, but he wanted to comfort her, even if his Guardian did not need any comforting.

“Thank you, Noctis.” His stomach flipped, his heart skipped a beat and his eyes opened wide. She disappeared in his arms in a flurry of white feathers, and he stood there with his mouth hanging open, arms slowly falling back to his sides. She spoke his name for the first time that night and it made all sorts of funny things happen inside him. He placed his palms on his face, he felt overheated all over and slightly numb. Unseeingly, he walked back to the bed and laid down on it, drifting off to a dream where he would see her, over and over, bathed in the sunset and speaking his name.

**::**

**::**

It was not an unusual sight to spot the prince of Lucis getting lost in his own thoughts during meetings. However, these occurrences were unusual when it concerned the crown princess of Tenebrae, seeing as she managed to make light of the situations and capture his attention for long enough so they could work things out. Ignis had lost count of how many times he had nudged the royalty by his side with his foot to bring him back down to Eos, but his mind drifted away not too long after.

Now worn out and feeling like the prince had broken a personal record, the advisor-to-be stood from his chair with a polite bow of his head. “I apologize, Lady Lunafreya, but it would be best if we rearranged this meeting for another time.”

The princess, who had been holding a mostly one-sided conversation for long minutes now, lifted her gaze from the files in her hands. “I beg your pardon?”

“It seems Prince Noctis did not sleep well last night.” Pointedly looking at him, said man seemed to snap out of his trance. The jolt of his body intensified the curiosity in their glances; Stella, specially, had her eyes as wide as they could get.

He cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair as if he could regain some of his composure through the simple act. “Actually, Ignis,” he began, cold fingers sliding down the nape of his own neck. “I’d like to speak to Lunafreya alone.”

His friend raised an eyebrow, but did not question it. “Surely.” Whatever it was – and it most likely was the reason why he was spacing out so often – talking about it would ease his mind and he would be able to focus on the matters at hand. Ignis inclined his head respectfully and offered a hand to the younger sister, who took it reluctantly with pouted lips. “Please, do call us again once you are ready to continue this meeting.”

The princess nodded, catching her sister’s gaze, and she laughed quietly behind a palm. Stella did not like the idea of leaving both of them alone – or the idea of leaving Noctis alone with any other girl. He did not seem to notice it, instead seeming lost in his thoughts again. She sipped some of her water and rearranged her papers seeing as they would have to start over, but she did not mind. It was not a boring meeting as it would have been with her council. When Noctis was actively participating, it could be quite entertaining and the ordeal would be over before any of them could notice time ticking away.

She waited for him to make the first move, but nothing happened for a couple of seconds after she was done shuffling everything about before her. A discrete clear of her throat brought him back to reality, cheeks flushed faint pink and eyes focusing again. “So, Prince Noctis,” she squared her shoulders, fingers lacing together on her lap, “what is it that ails you?”

He made a face at her choice of words; they were never truly formal around each other when alone. “How much do you know of Eos’s history, Luna?”

A palm cupped her cheek as the princess pondered over his words. “Quite a lot, actually. You should know just as much. Why?”

“I can’t seem to find records of a particular place in any of the books back home.”

“Strange.” Her brow furrowed, thin eyebrows meeting in the middle. “What place is it?”

“Bodhum.”

Her periwinkle gaze was hard and focused on his face as she racked her brain for anything related to this “Bodhum.” Noctis held her stare, hands fisted on top of the table, body leaning forward slightly in anticipation. Eventually, her gaze diverted, searching around the room as if she could find an answer written somewhere in a piece of furniture. Before she shook her head and voiced that she knew nothing of said place, he already knew the answer and his shoulders dropped in defeat.

“What’s so important about it?”

Noctis licked his lips and shifted on his seat. “I met someone awhile back that’s from this place.”

Her eyebrows rose in union. “A time traveler?”

“Perhaps, I’m not sure. They could have made it up, or they couldn’t. Still, it’s been bothering me for weeks. I’ve searched all over the manor; you can ask Ignis, he’s seen it.”

Luna looked down at the files before her, her frown getting deeper by the minute. “Who’s this person?”

He shrugged. “There’s not much I know.” Lies. He did not know Lightning’s entire life story, but he knew just enough to comfortably hold a two-hour long conversation with the princess sitting across him; and if he were to mention her role as his Guardian, that alone could take one long extra hour to explain all details.

“Are there any particular traits that could be linked to a region of Eos or a specific group of people?”

A nod. “She has pink hair.”

“Pink.” Luna mused, her pale fingers gliding over her lower face as she pondered. “Pink hair. Natural pink hair?” He nodded and she let out a surprised breathy noise. “I’ve never heard of such thing, much less seen.” Noctis noticed her curiosity and smiled a little at himself. Years later and she still was as eager as ever to learn new things, he could see it in the sparkle of her eyes. Never change that, Luna. Never change. “Is she an ally?”

“Yes, certainly.” She seemed surprised at the certainty of his words, but she trusted his judgement more than anyone else.

“Do you think you could arrange for us to meet? I’d really like to see her in person.”

“Hmm.” Could he? He would have to talk to her first. He could not predict what Lightning would think of it, though a big part of him believed she would not be pleased by it at all.

A gust of wind blew past the open windows of the room, carrying with it a bunch of white feathers that fluttered around with the breeze. He choked on his own spit at the sight of his Guardian marching past the opening doing her patrol, her face concentrated on the task at hand. The princess filled his glass with more water, her gaze troubled, and he wondered for a second if Lightning could shut out his thoughts and feelings when he needed some privacy. He hoped she could do so.

Oh Goddesses... The things she must have felt when he was just a teen. The thought of it alone was almost enough to set his face on fire.

Noctis drank all the contents of his glass, leaving not a single drop at its bottom. “Well, my birthday is coming up,” his voice sounded strangled, which caused the princess to giggle until he cleared his throat. “I can see if she can make it.”

“Please, do.” She replied with a smile as her hands fixed her hair after the wind rushed into the room. “I must admit I’m already enthralled. Pink hair, a place we’ve never heard of. Imagine the possibilities. If she’s really a time traveler, there’s so much she can tell us about.”

Luna went on, her words accompanied by gestures of her hand. She spoke so much her cheeks grew flushed from the exertion and her intakes of breath got more distant and distant as her theories and questions poured out of her mouth like a torrent. She did most of the talking, and he realized he had already asked himself most of the inquires she was making now. He did not stop or interrupt her, instead letting her go on so maybe he could hear something that he had not thought of until now.

Noctis leaned back and looked out the window, spotting his Guardian standing amidst the new flower bushes in the garden. Her silver armor was blinding him, yet he kept his eyes on her as she surveyed the area, the wind playing with her tresses carelessly. It was just a hazy memory the time when she let him touch her hair that one day when he was feverish, and he would be lying to himself if he said he did not want to do that again. Touch her hair, hold and squeeze her hand, hug her once more. He did not know when he started to enjoy these little moments a little too much, when curiosity turned into something more, when the touch of his knuckles to her forehead had a whole new different meaning to the prince.

Was it all his wondering? Was it that he caught himself thinking of her daily whenever she did not show up? At what point did it take an unexpected turn, or had it all been lying dormant deep within his mind since the day he first saw her – or even from the moment he was born?

Outside, Lightning shifted her stance, turning in his direction and meeting his gaze. He stiffened; Lunafreya did not notice his stillness, still lost in her musings. His Guardian, however, said nothing and hardly blinked, and the knot in his throat grew in size when she decided to move towards them. She slipped through the window when, coincidentally, the princess turned around to face the paintings hanging on the wall during her endless talking. Lightning strode in his direction, standing tall and composed as ever, only to drop to her knee by his side and take his hand in hers.

Having done it so many times before, he could tell when something felt different. Her touch was not the same as before, her fingers were lighter, gentler, and they took a second longer to come to their usual position, gliding over his skin until they settled in place. She could be aware of it just as much as she could not. His knuckles touched her forehead, grazed it slowly, her eyelashes fluttering on the back of his fingers for the first time and his head began to spin.

She was gone before he even realized it, leaving him staring sightlessly at the space she once occupied just as Lunafreya was done saying all she had in mind. Her voice was a fuzzy sound that his brain could not quite register and he hardly saw her standing from her chair to call the others to resume their meeting. He quickly interfered and asked that they do it on the following day, and she complied with his request, her eyebrows knitting slightly as the prince rose to his feet and left the room in a trance, going wherever his legs would take him.


	7. Birthday boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen.................... I can't even defend myself this time lmao. It just so happens that I found an interesting lightis fanfic last week (called Ambrosia, if you're interested) and that Dissidia NT released this week. I saw that video of Noctis and Lightning meeting a while ago but it wasn't enough to bring me back to this. Tbh, I'm not that immersed in lightis again, but I'm going to finish this story one way or another.
> 
> That being said, last time I said I knew where I wanted to go with this. Well, now I don't know anymore lmao and I'm still stuck in the same chapter. I'm going to rewrite and fix some chapters because some things are contradicting, such as Noctis eating vegetables in earlier chapters. I'm certain I can figure something out, somehow. Also, I want to introduce the Kingsglaive here because yes. 
> 
> Sooo, thank you for your patience and for the latest reviews I got but didn't reply to. Please, enjoy!

* * *

**Birthday Boy**

* * *

She was coming and he was elated. In the days that led to his birthday party, the prince could hardly keep his excitement a secret from the personnel and his friends. His father knew, gave him the permission to invite her to such thing, though everyone else remained in the dark. Regis smiled knowingly whenever Prompto mentioned Noctis’s giddiness, always evading Ignis’s questioning gaze and changing the subject whenever he tried to pry anything out of him.

Lightning herself was a bit reluctant to accept the invitation. The last time she did so, she lingered there for no more than necessary; this time, however, she was expected to stay all night long and, of course, speak to the crown princess of Tenebrae. Though he could see her uneasiness, she explained that it was the best birthday gift she could ever give him, and so she accepted. Then, she explained that her sister would be looking forward to this more than the prince himself. He doubted it.

The castle staff was happy for the prince, though. It was a rare sight to see him so excited about an event, especially if it was his own birthday party. He wanted everything to be perfect, and he stressed the necessity to reach these standards with a deep penetrating gaze from his blue eyes swirling with emotion. A small talk to Lunafreya on the phone had her voice pitching up slightly in wonder and curiosity once he revealed that Lightning was coming. Stella’s reaction was a clear contrast to her sister’s, but he could not blame her.

“Who’s coming?” The phone nearly fell from Noctis’s hand at the sound of Prompto’s voice that was unexpectedly too close.

He tried to keep his cool, running a nonchalant hand through his hair as he pocketed the device away from view. “The hell you talking about?”

His friend crossed his arms. “I heard you talking to Luna. Someone’s coming.” Then, leaning in closer as the prince turned slightly away, the blond wondered whilst rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Is this why you’re so agitated?”

“Shut up, Prompto.” He muttered, turning further away and closing his eyes.

Though he did not see the expression, he knew his friend was grinning from ear to ear as if he had just found out something to use as blackmail against him. “Hmm... By any chance, is this person a girl?”

Noctis sighed, whirling the man around and placing his palms flat on his back to push him out of the room. “What are you doing in my room anyway? Leave!”

Prompto laughed, the noise growing louder when he was shoved outside into the hallway and exclaimed before the door was slammed on his face. “Is it that girl from that one party?”

“Just drop it!” He shouted at the closed door, and his friend’s chuckle got fainter and fainter as he walked away from the prince’s bedroom. “Damn it.”

She was coming, and he wished he could say it was not a big deal. But it was. It was the biggest deal that ever happened in his life. Noctis looked around the room, thinking things through once more. He wanted to meet with her at the front gates, but she insisted on walking to the room by herself so she would not attract more attention than usual. She promised to step inside the ballroom at precisely eight in the evening, and he would try to stay close to the door so he could be the first to approach her.

Sitting on a cushioned chair by the tv, he imagined the dress she would wear this time. The first was a white, clean cut cocktail dress, whilst the second wasdeep purple and intricate. She would look good in whatever model she decided to wear. If she showed up wearing a potato sack with holes to slip her arms and legs through them, he was sure she would be prettier than any woman from the wealthiest house of Lucis. That was his Guardian, looking incredibly beautiful and strong at once without even trying.

He moved to his bed, deciding to take a nap so he would be wide awake during the party. Noctis was not stupid when it came to his Guardian, and his father was as preoccupied, so they agreed to have someone of trust to take her to the ballroom, despite her saying she could take care of herself. Someone whose strength would be unnecessary considering who he would be escorting, but his looks alone would drive away anyone who might try to do something, even if that something was just greet her upon arrival.

“She’s a little shorter than me, though she might be about my height or even taller depending on her shoes.” The prince tried to explain, the trio locked inside his father’s study room. The Marshal of the Crownsguard watched on in silence. Though there no were traces of confusion on his face, one did not need to know that his set jaw betrayed his blank face, for nothing that Noctis said made much sense so far.

Regis decided to cut in, going straight to the point. “Fair skin, blue eyes, pink hair. Make sure she doesn’t go a moment unaccompanied from the gates to the room.”

It was imperceptible, but there was a slight arch to one of Cor’s eyebrows. “As you wish,” he bowed at the two men, and with a nod of the king’s head, he was dismissed from the room.

In that moment, Noctis could tell that, wherever Valhalla was, Lightning was in there frowning at him as the scene unfolded before her eyes. She would not be happy about it, he was sure of it. It would attract just as much attention as if he were the one to serve as her guide, but at least no one would notice his absence. She was an important guest. Cor would not be guarding her if Lunafreya had not said she would bring a guard of her own. Most of the families brought their own guards to look after them in such events; if Lightning was borrowing Leonis for the night, then they would know that she was not a stranger and was trusted by both the king and prince of Lucis.

His nap was good, but not perfect. He woke up many times only to stare at the ceiling for a few seconds and then fall asleep once again. After the fifth time it happened, he decided to get up and shower instead, the alarm on his bedside table read that he had about thirty minutes before it went off. He showered leisurely, but mostly stood under the falling water and played with the cap of his shampoo bottle as he watched the liquid go down the drain in a swirl.

Drying off his body and hair, he wandered back into his room and went to pick a nice suit to wear for the occasion. Maybe he wanted to impress her, he could not tell, and that might be why he spent so much time looking through nearly identical suits, and ended up choosing one with thin stripes and a matching tie. He set the outfit on his bed and combed out any knots on his hair, and it arranged itself once completely dry, dark locks falling back into place. There was still a while left before the guests arrived, so he did his best to dress as slowly as possible and then tidied his room as if it needed any tiding in the first place – and as if someone would be in here later.

He decided to wait in the ballroom, starring out the windows at his much simpler garden with only a few scattered trees and bushes and a big blanket of grass that stretched on and on. This garden could not compare to the ones found in the Citadel, which was still under reconstruction after the city was invaded months ago. One would think that the manor located farther from the city would be just as perfect as the palace itself, but it seriously lacked when it came to gardens. The sunset did not look as pretty here like it was in Tenebrae and he felt saddened that he would not be seeing her again under the dying light of the sun.

“You do not look like you are looking forward to this as you did this morning, Noctis.” The prince looked over his shoulder at his old friend, Ignis, who stood back a few feet.

“Believe it, I am.” He let out a small chuckle and paced away from the windows. “I’ve just... Been thinking too much this afternoon.”

“About your surprise guest, I suppose?”

His friend’s blue eyes widened a little. “Am I being that obvious?”

“Well,” Ignis started, fixing his glasses and smiling at the prince. “You’re not exactly hiding it. However, Cor Leonis came to me early in the afternoon and told me that you and the king asked him to escort a very specific person.” His smile twisted into a small frown and he regarded Noctis a little more seriously. “A pink haired woman. She must be the one that snuck in that one time.”

The prince turned away. “Yes, she’s the one.”

“What is it that you and His Majesty are not telling me?”

He wanted to explain, he really did, but he did not know how much he could say. Noctis remembered well that she once said that it was unusual for the Guardian and the heir to speak as they did. “It’s complicated.” And yet, she accepted his invitation the first time. She knew what she was diving into, and he wished he did not feel like he was falling along blindly.

“I fear for your safety, Noctis.”

He smiled a slight tilt of his lips. “Thank you, but if there’s anyone that can protect me, it’s her.” Ignis frowned at his answer, which prompted him to go on. “I swear I’ll explain it to you sometime, all three of you, as long as she allows me to. For now, I can’t. My father knows, though, and he trusts her, so I ask that you trust her too.”

That was something he should not be asking, he knew it. Ignis did not respect someone if asked to, he first evaluated them and decided if they were worthy of his respect or not. And similar to that, if he were to trust someone, he would do it on his own, with or without comments that could lead him in any direction. Therefore, his affirmative answer was his way of saying that he would merely tolerate the stranger who had already gained the trust of the two most influential men in the kingdom, for the time being, and then would draw up his own conclusions.

His other friends arrived just as the conversation was over. Prompto slapped his shoulder hard enough for him to stumble a step forward, Gladiolus barked out a laugh as he reached out to grab the back of the prince’s suit so he would not lose more of his balance. Noctis righted himself, brushed his hands down the front of his outfit and glared half-heartedly at his blond friend, and Ignis told them to behave, scolding them like a parent would to a child. Regis stepped into the room not too long after, Clarus right behind him, looking dutiful as ever.

The conversation was light and humorous and lasted until the first few guests arrived. Whatever presents they brought were left in the waiting room and later would be taken to Noctis’s chamber, where Prompto would help him tear at the paper wrappings with gusto on the following day, the day of his actual birth. He had only an hour left to wait for her to show up, but time seemed to drag in an excruciatingly slow pace. Ten minutes past seven in the evening, and most guests were already in the room. The windows were open wide to let air in and few of them lingered in the balconies to take a breath of fresh air or have a smoke.

The princesses of Tenebrae were usually one of the first to arrive, but they got there about twenty minutes after the appointed time because, in her rush, Stella’s dress got caught on the door of her car and a nice lady that worked for the royal family offered to stitch it up. Her face was still flushed and her eyes slightly red, but her smile was bright and wide as if nothing had happened when she spotted the prince and dashed across the room to wrap her arms around his middle in a tight hug. The guests looked on; it was a cute sight, but most guessed that it only made sense that, if he were to marry a Fleuret, it would be the crown princess, not her younger sister.

Lunafreya first greeted the king and then the other guests, finally reaching the group of men and her sister. “You forgot to say hi to Regis, Stella.” She patted her sister’s shoulder affectionately before the younger blond left, her cheeks now redder than before. In formal meetings, Noctis kissed the back of her hand and they moved on to some small talk. After all of them had paid her the proper respects, Luna turned to him, periwinkle eyes twinkling. “So, is she coming?”

Her voice was just above a whisper, not meant to be heard by anyone. And yet... “Who? Noctis’s girlfriend?” Prompto piped in, exclaiming loud enough for the nearby guests to cast glances in their directions and watch the scene with far too much interest.

“Prompto!” Ignis chided sharply, and the color on the prince’s face matched Stella’s perfectly. Luna was intrigued by that, but she kept it well hidden from the others.

“I hear she’s a bit more important than being this sleepyhead’s sweetheart or something.” Her hands worked to wrap her thin champagne colored shawl around her shoulders, her gaze sly as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes.

Noctis wanted to shove his face inside his fancy glass, but settled for taking a long sip from it. “His fiancé, then?” When Prompto voiced his last guess aloud, Gladiolus nearly choked on his drink.

The princess looked at her best friend, who waved a hand in her direction as if to say _please, do the honors, I can’t explain it myself._ “No, Prompto. More important than that.” Light eyes looking about discreetly, she leaned in and the other three did as well as she whispered. “It seems like she is a time traveler.”

Gladiolus whistled and the blond went on to say that he was the first to talk to this time traveler, patting himself on the chest for this great achievement. Ignis merely frowned, caught the prince’s sheepish stare as he shrugged. Maybe now he understood why Noctis could not quite explain, though this, if right, could be just a small part of a bigger truth.

Lunafreya shared her guesses with them and this time he listened to her theories intently. The loudest one of their little group was silent and heard everything without interrupting, glancing at Noctis from time to time to make sure that all she said could be possible, to which he nodded. They all had a little to add to it, save for Ignis that decided to take it all in quietly, letting the wheels of his mind turn and placing as many pieces as he could in the places where he thought was right.

Time for once seemed to fly that day, and Noctis, who chose to stay close to the windows where he could clearly see the entrance of his property, forgot the reason why he was there in the first place. None of them noticed when Cor Leonis disappeared from the room, or the way that the king himself maneuvered his way through the people and tables in order to stand closer to double doors, or the glances he shot his son every once in a while wondering why he was so far away.

Ten seconds before it was eight in the evening, many things happened all at once. Coincidentally, Lunafreya stopped her rambling to take a breath, a chill rolled down Noctis’s spine, Gladiolus gulped the last of his drink, Prompto sneezed, and Ignis raised his eyes to the entrance of the room. “She’s here,” he said simply, and everyone’s heads whipped in that direction.

True to her words, at eight o’clock sharp she set her foot into the room, the sole of her heeled shoe touching the floor in time with the first strike of the clock. Dressed in a deep red outfit that showed her just the right amount of cleavage, her pink hair was tied up in an intricate up-do that had certainly been done by professionals, on her lips was a faint rosy lipstick, and her eyes were lined in black, bringing out the color of her irises.

What was impressive was the way that she entered – and most likely walked through the corridor – staring straight at the prince, her gaze so focused and zeroed on him that she easily caught his own among the many other pairs of eyes in the room.

Noctis felt like fainting.

His special guest turned away with a slow blink of her eye at the fourth strike to greet his father, bowing her head and curtsying. Cor observed as the two approached and then wandered to the sidelines to watch over the safety of the other guests. They shared a few words, he made her smile, laugh even, and by then most of the people were looking at her. Once more, she stood out in the many dark outfits and the few light ones, which included Luna’s and Stella’s.

Before he even knew it, Noctis was striding away from his friends, coming to a halt just a feet away from her body. His father went away, leaving the two of them staring at each other. He did not know what to say, and she waited patiently, a glimmer of something in her very, very light blue eyes.

“Where’d you get that dress?”

She laughed, it was like a chime, and it seemed to attract people closer to her. With a nod, she replied, “Why, thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” He made a face, clearly flustered even though his cheeks remained as pale as ever. “You’d be surprised by the amount of people in Lucis that are willing to trade services for a little work.”

“What.” He deadpanned, eyes growing large.

Again, she laughed, short and brief, and he decided he liked it very much. “Don’t worry, it’s not illegal. And nothing that this little dirty mind of yours is thinking either.” This time he did blush, it was faint, but it was there. Her painted lips stretched into a smile and his Guardian leaned in enough to whisper as close to his ear as respectfully possible. “Etro pulls some strings here and there and I can get what I want in times like these.”

“Nice to know,” he offered her his arm and she took it without complaint. “You sure are chirpy today.”

“I really am not. I don’t like this kind of gathering, but your father told me to laugh a few times to brighten your day.”

“It really did brighten it if you must know.” He hummed thoughtfully. “Though, I have to admit, I’m jealous that he got to listen to your laughter before I did.” She merely smirked playfully, not gracing him with a chuckle.

His friends all donned different expressions; curiosity, excitement, and wonder were just a few he could name. Luna did a good job in keeping her emotions in check, though they showed through her façade when Lightning addressed her first. “Lady Lunafreya, it is such a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

“It is nice to meet you, too, Lady...?” She returned the curtsy, peering at the newcomer through her long eyelashes.

“Fulgur.”

“Lady Fulgur,” the princess wondered aloud, touching a finger to her chin. “Funny, translating it from our ancient dialect, it means lightning.” Noctis smiled at his Guardian’s cleverness, and Lightning smiled at the princess.

“I know you!” Prompto stepped forward, closer to her. “I met you here some months ago.”

“Indeed. You were the first to talk to me, then.”

“Hah! In your face, Noct.” He taunted, doing a little dance that, thankfully, did not catch anyone else’s eyes.

Each approached her for a different reason, but none of them dared to mention time travel. They spoke for a long while, few people went up to the prince or the princess to say something or another, but all in all, they were closed off in their own group. It was pleasant and entertaining, Noctis got so engrossed in all of it that he forgot her arm was still looped through his. She shifted a few times, hand moving around the length of his arm before it settled on the crook of his elbow. He did not notice any of it, and none of his friends wagged their eyebrows suggestively at it either, despite the fact that Prompto looked at it from time to time and discreetly, for once, nudged Gladiolus.

Once Stella was done with her rounds around the room, she returned to their group. It was only when she stared pointedly at the way they stood together that he seemed to realize. He discreetly glanced at Lightning, but she had her attention focused on Gladio as he explained his workout routine in great detail and seemed comfortable in the position they were in. The prince chose to pretend he did not see the younger Fleuret’s reaction to that. He felt uncomfortable under her heavy gaze and, even though he did not want to hurt her, maybe there was no way to stop her from getting her heart broken. Both were like sisters to him. He could only hope she would grow out of her crush.

Lightning caught his stare, smiling slyly at him and making him flush bright. She squeezed his arm to bring his focus back to the conversation they were having, but for the life of him, he could not focus on anything else that was not her hand on him and the warmth of her closeness.

Half an hour after she arrived, dinner was served. The boys sat together in a round table, and the royalty wandered off to seat with King Regis, Noctis dragging Lightning along even though she insisted she would be fine with the rest of the group. “I don’t trust you near Prompto,” he whispered as he smiled at a passerby, his fingers grazing her lower back whilst guiding her to their designed table.

The prince sat between his father and his Guardian, Luna by her side and Stella on the last seat left. Plates were brought in, fresh vibrant salads with crushed almonds lost in the heaps of colored vegetables and leafy greens. His nose wrinkled when plates were set before the people on the table, but none was placed before him. A quiet snort from Lightning brought his attention to her, but she was eating the dish leaf by leaf and savoring every bit of it. Though it was not the first time he saw her eating, it was the first time that he wondered if she ate anything at all in Valhalla. Sipping his red wine and pondering about this, he almost choked on his drink when she poked his leg with her foot so he would stop overthinking and let her eat in peace.

The next dish was his favorite and he wasted no time to dive in. His Guardian spent a little while admiring the way the food had been placed on the plate before finally deciding to take the first bite of one thick steak that was grilled to perfection. Lunafreya and Regis did some talking, and the princess eventually found the cue to ask Lightning where she was from.

Seeing no point in lying and saying she was from some random place in Eos, Lightning said from over the rim of her glass before taking a sip. “Bodhum.”

It was the first time the king heard of it, so he inquired. “I’ve never been there before.” His surprise was genuine, as opposed to Luna’s, although anyone would believe her. “What is it like?”

“It’s located on an island.” She set her glass down with a slight shrug. “It’s a seaside town, famous for the beaches and the annual fireworks display.”

“It sounds like a wonderful place.” Luna commented, placing a hand over one of hers that was on the tabletop. “Do you think you could take us there someday?”

Lightning smiled. If Noctis could use any word to describe it, it was bittersweet, but the smile itself was barely there, so Lunafreya would not notice this detail. “I wish I could, but I’m not going back there so soon.”


End file.
